


A Beautiful Mess

by KittyBandit



Category: D.Gray-man
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst, Breaking the Law, Bullying, Chronic Illness, Coming of Age, Drama, Family Secrets, First Times, Genderfluid!Alma, Homophobia, M/M, Mental Abuse, Minor Violence, Multi, Oral Sex, Other, Parental Abuse, Petty Thievery, Physical Abuse, Physical Disability, Romance, Semi-Public Sex, Sex, Underage Drinking, Voyeurism, background OCs - Freeform, delinquent au, handjobs, miscommunications
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:13:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 69,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24040378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KittyBandit/pseuds/KittyBandit
Summary: Senior year of high school should’ve been a breeze for Lavi. He’s got amazing grades, amazing friends, and gets to spend his year living with Gramps in his old hometown. What he didn’t count on was catching the eye of a sticky-fingered delinquent who had a penchant for getting into trouble—and dragging Lavi with him.
Relationships: Kanda Yuu/Alma Karma, Lavi/Allen Walker, Lavi/Tyki Mikk, Lavi/Tyki Mikk/Allen Walker, Tyki Mikk/Allen Walker
Comments: 111
Kudos: 139





	1. Welcome Home

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is, my magnum opus, as it were. I have been plotting and writing this fic for literal years and I finally feel confident enough to start sharing it with you all. I truly hope you enjoy this AU that I’ve crafted. I’ve spent countless hours fretting over this work and it’s the longest creation I’ve ever made. 
> 
> Before you dive into the text, I do want to talk about the themes/tags of this fanfic. I've tagged a lot of stuff that I know will happen in the course of this fic. There may be additional tags added later and I will give you warnings when there is triggering material in a given chapter. There are some touchy subjects in this AU and I wanted to make sure everyone understands how I’m treating certain sensitive topics in this fic. 
> 
> Firstly, Tyki/Allen/Lavi. Yes, this relationship is written with an age gap, though not as large as would be in canon. Allen is 16, Lavi is 18, and Tyki is written as in his early 20’s. However, their relationship is not portrayed with abusive qualities. I just want to assure everyone that Tyki, Allen, and Lavi may have an unconventional relationship, but it’s not abusive. All the triggering tags that I’ve used for this fic are not used to describe their relationship. 
> 
> For touchy subjects like abuse, bullying, and homophobia, I made the executive decision to use OCs for abusers. One reason I did this was because I needed characters to play parents/adults in the AU and no one in canon really fit what I wanted (aside from Cross, Tiedoll, and Komui). I felt that if I shoved canon characters into (mostly) unimportant roles, the narrative would suffer for it. The second reason is because I didn’t want to have certain characters portrayed with unsavory qualities when they might not have those same qualities in canon. There are bullies that our main characters will need to deal with and I didn’t want to turn characters that someone might like into assholes. 
> 
> Lastly, I would like to beg forgiveness for any OOC-ness that might be portrayed in the AU. There’s a fine line between keeping a character in-character and writing them so they fit the AU’s narrative. One prominent case is Allen’s character, which more closely resembles his “Red” persona than “Allen Walker.” I’ve done my best to keep everyone as close to canon as possible, but there will always be differences. 
> 
> Again, thank you all so much for joining me on this journey. Please, enjoy the ride.

_Now I feel unknown_  
_And it’s safe that way_  
_Are you too bored to care_  
_Or too dumb to be scared_

_Ain’t that Unusual_  
_Goo Goo Dolls_

* * *

Jetlag was a bitch.

Lavi struggled to stay awake as he hauled another abused cardboard box up to his new room. His legs and arms felt like jelly as he climbed the stairs for what felt like the twentieth time that afternoon. He’d been excited to move in with his grandfather for the year, returning to his hometown to attend his senior year of high school, but he really hadn’t thought the whole ‘unpacking’ thing through.

“Gramps!” he called out, arms straining and legs shaking as he forced himself up the last stair, two boxes stacked in his arms. “Are you sure we can’t, like… _pay_ someone to do this?”

“Feh!” Lavi heard the old man’s snort of derision from the other room. “If you want to hire a mover for a few boxes, you can pay one yourself.”

“ _A few boxes_ ,” Lavi parroted, grumbling under his breath as he crossed the threshold into his room. He knew arguing would be a fruitless venture, so he chose to bite his tongue instead, hoping the old man’s ears wouldn’t catch his mockingly mumbled words. He hadn’t wanted to send all these things in the first place, but his mother had insisted on shipping nearly all his belongings ahead of him. When he’d arrived at Bookman’s house that afternoon, twelve boxes sat in the living room, waiting for him to haul them upstairs and unpack.

His lack of sleep didn’t help his disposition either.

He’d woken up at 5AM that morning in London, his mother hurrying him to the airport early so as not to miss his flight. A kid had kicked his seat the entire ride across the Atlantic, and due to a few storms, their arrival had been delayed. Between the time difference and his late arrival, he figured he’d been awake at least eighteen hours, and it was still only late afternoon. At least he had a couple days before classes began to get his internal clock reset.

The bedroom looked exactly as Lavi remembered it; a single bed with a too hard mattress shoved up against the far wall, bookcases that reached the ceiling on the opposite, and one large bay window on the outer wall. Just outside stood a large maple tree, its branches blocking most of the view, but light still shone through without difficulty. He set the last few boxes on the bench near the window, groaning as he stretched his sore back.

“Oh, don’t start that nonsense,” Bookman’s voice came from the doorway. He carried a pile of fresh bedding and a pillow into the room, setting it out on the bare mattress. “Wait until you’re my age, then you’ll know a thing or two about aches and pains.”

Lavi bit back the sassy remarks dancing on the tip of his tongue and instead sighed, resting his hands on the back of his neck. “Those were the last two boxes mom sent over.”

Bookman nodded, looking over the messy room. Boxes stacked up in the modest floorspace, taking up more space than not. “Well, if I were you, I’d get to unpacking. I don’t know why she sent all this crap with you.” His dark-rimmed eyes scanned the small room, disapproval hiding just behind them.

“Ask her, not me,” Lavi complained, sitting down on the edge of the bed and flopping back. He stared up at the ceiling, already wondering if he could sneak in a nap before dinner. “I wanted to pack _one_ bag. She turned it into a production.”

“Either way, you’ve got a lot to do.” The old man turned, slowly walking back out to the hallway. “Dinner’s at seven. And don’t forget to tell your mother you made it here safely. I know it’s late there, but she’ll want to know.”

“I will,” Lavi assured him, still staring at the ceiling. Without another word, Bookman disappeared back into the hallway, leaving him to deal with the sprawling mess alone.

Sitting up, Lavi reached into his pants pocket and pulled out his phone. His fingers tapped quickly against the screen, typing out a quick message to his mother before he pressed send.

As exhausted as he was, excitement still thrummed through his chest like the baseline of a catchy song. He was back home, or at least, the place that had always felt like home. Glancing around the room, he noted the few things that had been left behind when he and his mother had permanently left the country. Bookman hadn’t redecorated once in Lavi’s lifetime—and the decor showed it. The tacky blue and white wallpaper, antique desk lamp, and stiff, dusty curtains gave away how little his grandfather cared about interior design. Even the books stored on the shelves were old—judging by the faded covers, none of them could have been printed after 1980. But the old house had its charms, and Lavi appreciated how little it had changed in all these years.

However, as he got lost in nostalgia, he couldn’t ignore the stacks of boxes waiting for his attention. The last thing he wanted to do was unpack—the mere thought of it made him sick to his stomach.

In true procrastination fashion, Lavi searched for a different number in his phone, one he still regularly texted.

 _Lavi 04:25PM—_ I’m back in town wanna hang tonight?

He tossed the phone back on the mattress before standing and stretching his sore arms over his head. Looking around the disheveled space, he sighed. He didn’t want to deal with this.

On the mattress, the phone buzzed and Lavi snatched it back up to read the incoming text.

 _Lena 04:26PM_ — That’s awesome! I’m with Kanda and Alma right now at the park. Can you meet us here?

He looked at the mess of his bedroom, then quickly typed out a reply.

 _Lavi 04:27PM—_ I’ll be there in 5 minutes

Not giving his chores another thought, Lavi pulled his wallet from his backpack, shoving it into the back pocket of his jeans before slipping out of his room. He tried to walk quietly down the stairs to the front door, but each step creaked as soon as he put weight on it. Before he reached the door, his grandfather’s voice echoed down the hallway.

“Lavi, where are you going?”

Not stopping, Lavi grabbed the doorknob. “Meeting up with some friends,” he called, pulling open the door in a rush, no longer trying to keep quiet.

“What about the boxes? And dinner?”

“I’ll only be an hour, tops! See ya’, Gramps!”

“Lavi!”

Before the old man could shout at him anymore, Lavi shut the door behind him and darted down the front porch steps. He grinned widely as he ran down the driveway and out of sight beyond the front bushes lining the sidewalk. He was likely going to get an earful when he got home, but he needed some downtime—especially when he hadn’t seen his friends in over a year.

He slowed his pace as he reached the end of the block, peeking behind him to make sure his grandfather hadn’t bothered to follow. Finding the sidewalk empty, he turned back around and headed towards the park.

Cicadas buzzed in the trees lining the street as Lavi checked out the neighborhood. It was the typical suburb—pleasantly painted houses set equal distance apart from each other, meticulously manicured lawns and shrubbery, clean streets and sidewalks, decorative fencing, and an overall atmosphere of _upper middle class_. His grandfather had been the exception, his home the oldest on the block. The dated house refused to conform to the rest of the neighborhood’s style, and he’d been approached numerous times by his neighbors, politely offering to help him update the property. Gramps had impolitely told them to go fuck themselves.

Lavi had laughed for nearly fifteen minutes straight when his mother had relayed _that_ story.

It may have been over a year since he’d come visiting last, two Christmases ago to be precise, but Lavi still knew his way around town. Five blocks down and two over was the park Lena had mentioned, and just along the way was a convenience store. He would stop there before hitting the park—he was too parched in the hot, late August weather to keep going without grabbing a drink.

Like the rest of the neighborhood, the corner store was clean and proper—colorful flowers were placed in front of the windows, inviting patrons inside. The pretentious air nearly suffocated him, but he needed a drink and he wasn’t about to run home for a water bottle. The bell above the door dinged as he entered, and the clerk behind the front counter greeted him promptly. Lavi nodded politely, if not a little unnerved at the attentive service, then headed to the back wall where the cold drinks were.

He looked through the clean glass, trying to decide between iced tea, lemonade, or soda, when movement next to him caught his eye.

At the end of the aisle, looking over a shelf of neatly stacked candy bars, was a boy. Lavi didn’t recognize him, with the majority of his features concealed beneath his hood, but his presence felt oddly jarring in the painfully clean and orderly store. He wore a black hoodie, two sizes too large for his lithe frame, and old tennis shoes taped with duct tape, in what Lavi could only guess was less a fashion statement and more a practicality to keep water out of holey shoes. He wasn’t the type of person Lavi had expected to see in the posh neighborhood.

The kid glanced Lavi’s direction, meeting his curious stare, and Lavi promptly averted his gaze back to the drinks. He’d never seen someone so young with white hair before.

Lavi opened the door to the drink case and peeked back through the glass when he’d been sure the kid was distracted. His good eye widened at the sight unfolding in front of him—he packed in four, maybe six, different candy bars into his pockets, hiding them from view in the excess fabric of his hoodie. Lavi stared, dumbstruck at the sheer audacity. Without another glance Lavi’s direction, the kid left the store, and the clerk continued their duties behind the front desk, none the wiser. The whole event took less than a minute to unfold, but Lavi felt as if it had lasted an hour. The confidence it took for someone to steal so blatantly, even after Lavi had caught on, astounded him—especially in this part of town.

Shaking his head, Lavi grabbed the first bottle in front of him and headed to the register. It wasn’t until he’d paid for the drink and meandered back out on the street did he realize he’d bought a diet Dr. Pepper instead of a regular Coke.

“Ugh. Gross.” He sighed and kept walking towards the park. That was what he got for becoming enamored with sticky-fingered criminals.

The park spanned two blocks, and like all pristine suburban parks, had an abundance of trees, bushes, and prim flower beds lining its walkways. Lavi had texted Lenalee again, double checking where she and the others were, when he heard his name being shouted from a distance. Looking up, he caught sight of Lenalee, Kanda, and Alma, the three of them camped out on the picnic table under a large oak tree. They were all decked out in typical summer wear—Lenalee in a brightly colored tanktop and shorts, Alma in much the same, and Kanda wearing his usual black t-shirt with jeans. Grinning, he hurried over to meet them.

“Lavi!” Lena said, hopping off the bench to jump into his chest. She hugged him tight, squeezing him tight enough to force the air from his lungs. “You finally made it!”

“Yeah. I’m jetlagged as fuck, but I’m here in one piece.” As soon as Lenalee let him go, Alma jumped in after, nearly toppling him over. “ _Oof!_ ”

“We’re so psyched you get to spend senior year with us!” Alma shouted, tugging Lavi closer to the table. “We’re gonna have so much fun! Right, Yuu?”

“Sure. Whatever,” Kanda replied, not bothering to get up from the bench. He eyed Lavi, a neutral scowl on his face.

Lavi laughed and sat down next to him. “What? No hug, Yuu?”

“Touch me and die,” Kanda said, deadpan as he leaned back and glared out across the park.

“Still as charming as ever, I see.”

“Don’t mind him,” Alma said, smiling widely as they sat on the other side of Kanda, threading their fingers together. Kanda didn’t even flinch at the contact. “He’s just pissy that classes start next week. Summer wasn’t long enough.”

“It never is.” Lavi crossed his arms against the bench, leaning forward as he sighed. “So, what’s the plan? I ditched unpacking so I could see you all.”

Lenalee shook her head, picking up her phone as she received a text. “I’m sure you were quite distraught at leaving that work unfinished.”

“Absolutely devastated.”

Alma stood, moving from the bench to sit on top of the picnic table. They fidgeted constantly, picking at their nails or twisting locks of their dark hair around their fingers. “Did you get your class schedule yet?”

“No, I gotta go to the office first thing when school starts to figure it out. I’m supposed to be taking all the advanced courses, but I don’t know what my schedule looks like yet.”

“Of course you wait until the last minute,” Lenalee commented with a sigh. “With that attitude, you’ll never make it in the tough classes.”

“Yeah, you should’ve stuck with the easy classes like Yuu and I did.” Alma shifted again, kicking their feet up onto the tabletop and hugging their legs to their chest. “We’re taking a lot of art classes—Yuu’s taking photography.”

“Shut up. He doesn’t need to know that,” Kanda growled out, elbowing Alma in the side.

“But you’re really good at it!” Alma insisted, unfazed by the outburst. They turned to Lavi, grinning over Kanda’s shoulder. “His pictures are really pretty—especially the ones he takes of flowers.”

“Alma, I _fucking swear to god_ —”

Ignoring Kanda’s outburst, Alma pulled out their phone and flipped through the pictures, showing them to Lavi. “Look at how awesome they are!”

Lavi peered at the phone, tilting his head to avoid the glare from the sun overhead. “Wow, those are actually really good, Yuu.” His genuine tone must have been enough to keep Kanda from letting out another slew of curses. This time, he only grumbled under his breath as they continued to fawn over the photographs on Alma’s phone.

“Lavi, if you need help with class stuff on Monday, I can help.” Lenalee nudged his shoulder, grabbing his attention away from Alma. “I’m class president, after all. It’s part of my job to help new students.”

He chuckled, leaning back against the table. “President Lee. It has a nice ring to it.”

Alma crossed their legs on the table, turning to better face them both. “I hope we get some classes together. If not, we can always eat lunch together. Or study.”

Lenalee nodded. “We have study sessions in the library and at my house.”

“Damn, you’re already monopolizing my time and I just got here,” Lavi said with a snicker.

“Can you blame us? We rarely get to see you.” Lenalee pulled up her text log on her phone.

“Yeah,” Alma agreed. “Once a year at Christmas is not enough time.”

“Speak for yourself,” Kanda muttered, though neither Alma or Lenalee acknowledge the slight.

Lavi had heard this all before, and he couldn’t blame them. They’d spent nearly ten years apart, aside from Lavi’s infrequent visits back home. Honestly, he’d been surprised they still kept in touch, but he had Lenalee to thank for that.

He’d been traveling abroad with his mother for so long that he never had a chance to settle into a place. They would spend a month in Spain, six months in China, then off to Egypt or Turkey. Her position at the museum sent her all over the world, and Lavi with her. He’d never had the chance to make friends on his travels, but every year he looked forward to coming back home and spending what little time he had with his childhood friends.

“Well, you’ll have me until graduation,” Lavi assured them, kicking out his legs under the table. “It’s just too bad I didn’t get here sooner. We could’ve done something fun before school starts.”

Lenalee hopped off the bench and tucked her phone into her back pocket. “We’ve got time. C’mon. We were planning on hitting the ice cream shop before it closes. You in?”

“As long as they’ve got Blue Moon.”

Alma grinned, jumping to their feet and dragging Kanda with them. “He’s in.”

* * *

Time with friends passed quicker than time alone, Lavi realized as he fell into the old, creaking desk chair after helping his grandfather wash dishes. He’d come home later than expected, but not late enough for Bookman to punish him for breaking his word. Dinner had been a quiet affair, and one he doubted would happen often. Even though his grandfather was old—ancient, even, as Lavi had jokingly referred to him as—he still worked, preserving old and rare books. He would have little time to take care of Lavi, but then again, his mother had left him on his own more often than not as well. He was used to it—keeping himself busy. At least now, he had his friends to fill the void.

He spent hours after dinner unpacking, necessity winning out over procrastination. His mother had sent over enough clothes to dress an army, and when he’d finally opened some of the heavier boxes, he realized why there were so many. She’d sent along a decent chunk of his book collection—something he’d been worried about leaving behind with her in their London flat. He had come to terms with parting from the books for the year, hoping that a busy class schedule and more time with his friends would help. But as always, his mother managed to outdo herself. He’d have to thank her the next time they spoke.

As the hour neared midnight, he’d finished the Herculean task of unpacking each box and organizing all of his belongings. Luckily, he’d found plenty of room on the bookshelves for his books, and the dresser his grandfather had left him had more than enough space for all his clothes. When the boxes had been broken down and stored in the closet, he opened his laptop to check his messages.

As the system booted up, he noticed a new message. He blinked, surprised to see it was from his mother. Without hesitation, he opened it.

 _Mom 11:56PM—_ Got your text, but didn’t want to wake you with a reply. Did your boxes arrive?

Lavi typed up a quick reply, shaking his head. She should’ve known better than to think he’d be asleep before midnight, even with the jetlag.

 _Lavi 11:59PM—_ Yeah I got them. Thanks for sending everything.

 _Mom 12:01AM—_ I’m glad. If you need anything else, just let me know.

 _Mom 12:02PM—_ And be good for your grandfather. He’s too old to deal with teenage drama.

He snickered as he typed a reply.

 _Lavi 12:02PM—_ I will, don’t worry. He’s tougher than he looks.

 _Mom 12:02PM—_ Now go to sleep. I know how late it is there.

 _Lavi 12:03PM—_ Okay.

 _Mom 12:03PM—_ Miss you already, kiddo. Love you.

 _Lavi 12:03PM—_ Love you, too.

Knowing better than to press his luck, Lavi closed the laptop again and rubbed at his good eye. His mother was right—he needed to get some sleep after the day he’d had, even if he’d rather dick around online. Heaving a heavy sigh, he fell into his bed, not bothering to change out of his clothes. After turning out the light, he pulled the lumpy pillow over his head, hoping sleep would come quickly

After all, he’d need the energy just to keep up with his friends tomorrow.


	2. Troublemaker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we are with Chapter 2! A little more backstory set up in this chapter for Lavi and his friends. I hope you all like this one! 
> 
> ***Triggering Content Warning: Non-detailed discussions of parents being homophobic.

_It must be nice  
_ _To be so sure  
_ _And never feel insecure_

_Untouchable  
_ _Garbage_

* * *

The principal’s office was less intimidating than it should have been, though Lavi couldn’t decide if it was because he’d known Komui since he was five, or if it was the collection of cartoon bobblehead toys lining the desk. Either way, Lenalee’s older brother never cut much of an intimidating figure, and Lavi was thankful for that at twenty minutes to eight the morning classes started. Lenalee had picked him up before school, offering him a ride and to help him get his schedule in order. As much as he appreciated it, he wished he was still in bed.

“Well, Mr. Bookman,” Komui said as he peered at the computer screen. “I’m impressed with your grades. You aced your home school courses. I’m actually surprised you haven’t graduated early already.”

Lavi shifted awkwardly in the uncomfortable chair, scratching at the back of his neck. “Thanks.” It was the same thing any adult said when they saw his grades—though he felt like a fraud when they mentioned it. He’d always attributed his good grades to luck—having an eidetic memory made test-taking easy, and homeschooling with his mother to check his work on anything he might have struggled with took care of his shortcomings. He wasn’t brilliant like Lenalee, who worked for her intelligence without complaint.

Komui continued to focus on the screen, typing away as the monitor’s glow reflected in his glasses. “Your mother sent your transcripts, as well as some suggestions for classes. After reviewing it all, it looks like you only have a few core classes to finish to meet the requirements for graduation in this state, which gives you some leeway to choose.” He printed off a few sheets of paper and handed them to Lavi, the paper still warm. “You’ll need to take biology, calculus, and a history and literature class of your choice—though I suggest the advanced placement ones. Otherwise, your other three credits are up to you.”

Lavi scanned the paper mildly bored with the whole process. He figured most of the class work would be nothing special, and he didn’t care about most of the classes offered. Still, he feigned interest and did as asked. It only took him two minutes to choose his classes for the semester. Besides the required biology and calculus classes, he picked two history classes (European History and Middle Eastern History) and two literature classes (American Literature and English Literature), along with an art class to round out the semester. He wasn’t particularly interested in art, but he knew Alma and Kanda would be in the class, and if he could spend an hour a day drawing and get an A, it wouldn’t be so bad.

After Komui entered his choices into the computer, he printed another sheet. “Here’s your schedule for the semester and the combination to your locker. If you have any questions, just ask the office.” He gave Lavi a practiced smile, more perfunctory than pleasant. “We expect great things from you in the coming year.”

Thanking him again, Lavi took the paper and left the office. As he entered the hallway, he found Lenalee still waiting for him. She smiled when she caught his eye.

“Are you ready to start your first day?” she asked, adjusting the straps of her backpack on her shoulders. He felt under dressed next to her—wearing nothing but a plain t-shirt and jeans as opposed to her bright skirt and blouse combo. She’d even tied ribbons in her hair.

“As ready as I’ll ever be.” He shrugged and scanned his schedule once more before folding and shoving it into his back pocket. He hadn’t bothered to bring anything with him besides a couple pens and notebooks. Lenalee’s overfilled backpack put him on edge. They hadn’t even received their books yet—what did she have in there?

Lenalee tilted her head as she walked into the quickly crowding hallway, pulling Lavi with her. “Let’s go. I’ll show you to your first class.”

* * *

Lavi had forgotten what public school was like.

Home schooling had been easy. He did his work—either waiting until the last minute to finish the course work or reading ahead and having it all done in the span of three days—and then the rest of the time was his. He’d always loved to read, something both his mother and grandfather had instilled in him at a young age, and he never had issues reading through textbooks and completing his assignments.

But actually going to school and listening to lectures was _tedious_.

The teachers spent time at the beginning of each class with introductions, handing out textbooks, explaining the class requirements and syllabus. It was the same formula in each class, and by the end of third period, Lavi grew weary of the monotony.

At least his schedule meshed well with his friends, which gave him some solace to the painfully dull discussions. First period flew by with Calculus, and though the math didn’t grab his attention, he still managed to make it through without his eyelid drooping. Second and third period followed in much the same fashion with American Lit, then English Lit. The advanced classes were more interesting, though, and he was happy to have Lenalee in all three periods. While the morning didn’t exactly fly by, her presence made the session remarkably less torturous.

Fourth period was a much needed break from the tedium. He met Alma and Kanda in the art studio—the haphazardly stored supplies and old art projects littered about the room more stimulating than the bland white walls of the other classrooms. Alma sat between Kanda and Lavi as they listened to the art teacher, Mr. Tiedoll, explain the course expectations.

By fifth period, Lavi felt the monotony wear on him. He dropped his stack of textbooks in his locker, and headed to Biology—his first class without a friend to sit next to. As students filed in, Lavi leaned forward, elbow against the desk and chin in his hand as he propped up his head, barely holding back tears of boredom. Not expecting much of a change from the previous class structure, he watched as everyone took their seats, tapping his pen against his notebook.

Just as the bell rang, Lavi saw him enter.

He wasn’t wearing the same oversized hoodie Lavi had seen him in at the convenience store, but that face and hair were unmistakable. Lavi held his breath as he watched the boy walk into the classroom with nothing—not even a notebook or a pen. Lavi’s gaze followed him as he moved down the aisle between desks. He couldn’t believe he was in the same school as that thief, let alone the same class.

Lavi was so caught up in his own thoughts that he didn’t realize he’d been caught staring until it was too late. The boy’s bright silver eyes met Lavi’s green one, and in that instant, Lavi flushed with embarrassment. He looked away, heart thudding in his chest. The boy paused, smirked, then moved to sit right next to Lavi. The creak of the chair as he sat down sent Lavi’s blood pressure spiking, and he pretended to read in his notebook to avoid the boy’s unyielding gaze.

After a long moment, the boy finally turned his piercing eyes away, and Lavi let out a slow breath. When the teacher began her lecture, the tension in Lavi’s shoulders eased. If he were lucky, the kid would ignore him and he could concentrate on the boring, repetitive class.

As teacher began reading off the list of names on her roster, each student answered when their name was called. Lavi had gone through this in each class prior, and had mostly spaced out until he heard his name. However, when the teacher called out the name _Allen Walker_ , and the thieving boy answered, Lavi felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle up.

It wasn’t fair for a kid like that to have such a melodic voice.

Biology class passed in a blur, and as Lavi walked out the door to find his friends for lunch, he caught the boy’s— _Allen_ _’s_ —gaze again. Those sharp eyes and teasing lips taunted him with a mischievous smirk before disappearing into the crowded hallway. Lavi shivered and shoved his free hand in his pocket, the other still clutching his books and notes. Great, just what he needed—attention from delinquents. He just hoped his books didn’t end up in the urinal.

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. His friends dragged him to the cafeteria for lunch, and Alma took him to study hall for sixth period. Seventh and eighth flew by as well, both history classes scheduled one after the other. He wished he had someone to talk to in either class, but as it was, he was lucky to have Lena in so many of his classes. When the final bell rang at 3:10, he hurried out of class and to his locker.

“Are you busy tonight?” Alma asked as they and Kanda hung near Lavi’s locker, waiting for the rush of students to clear.

Lavi shook his head, shoving his books onto the shelf before shutting and locking it. “Not really. We didn’t even get any homework.”

“It’s the first day. They go easy on you.” Alma fished around in their backpack for something, the brightly colored bag packed to the brim with Alma’s things—though Lavi had no idea what they could possibly need. “But we were going to the pizza place down the street. They have some arcade games and free refills on soda.”

“I’m in,” Lavi said without hesitation. “I don’t wanna go home yet. Gramps will probably put me to work cleaning something if I don’t have homework.”

“Don’t worry. We’ll protect you from your chores,” Alma added, finally pulling their phone from the messy confines of their bag. They turned to Kanda with a thoughtful look. “Maybe Lena wants to go? We should ask her before we leave.”

“Hurry up, then,” Kanda grumbled, already walking off without waiting for them.

Lavi and Alma followed, keeping close so as not to lose him in the thick wave of people. They turned down a few halls, the sound of tennis shoes squeaking on the linoleum echoing off the walls. They found Lenalee by the lockers, chatting with one of her classmates. When she caught sight of them heading her way, she politely excused herself and turned to them.

“You boys look like you’re on a mission,” she teased, throwing a few more books into her backpack before closing her locker.

“We’re going to Pizza Palace,” Alma explained, rocking back and forth on their heels as they spoke. “Did you want to come with?”

“I wish I could, but I’m meeting with the other student council members to discuss this semester’s agenda.” She tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and sighed. “Homecoming is only three weeks away.”

“That’s what you get for being on the damned council in the first place.” Kanda picked at a hangnail as he stood behind Alma, not bothering to make eye contact as he spoke.

As if she’d heard the comment a million times before, Lenalee rolled her eyes and shouldered her backpack. “And let Howard Link take my place as Student Council President? That’ll be the day.” She laughed, though it came out more sharp and sarcastic than normal. “If he had his way, we’d abolish all fun school activities and focus on classes. He’s such a stick in the mud.”

Alma hid a laugh behind their hand. “He’s just jealous you’re President _and_ you’re beating him in GPA.”

“Well,” Lenalee began, “If he focused more on his own work instead of trying to catch up to me, maybe he’d get somewhere.”

“Ouch.” Lavi laughed as he shook his head. “Someone should call the paramedics for that nasty burn. I didn’t know you had it in you, Lena.”

She waved off his concern. “Trust me. If you had to deal with him for three years, you’d understand. But I really do have to go.” She headed off down the hallway, giving them a smile as she left. “We’ll go out next time, for sure!”

Alma waved as she left, turning back to Kanda and Lavi. “I guess it’s just us tonight.”

“Well, what are we waiting for?” Lavi asked, grinning widely. “Let’s go!”

* * *

The pizza at Pizza Palace was, unsurprisingly, less than stellar. If the décor that hadn’t been updated since the mid 90’s and the dingy atmosphere didn’t give it away, the apathetic twenty-something behind the counter would have. Their pepperoni pizza came out of the oven overbaked and charred on the edges. But it was cheap and none of them complained—they were too focused on the new high score Kanda was working towards on the fighting game in the back corner.

Alma hung behind Kanda as he played, arms slung around his shoulders and holding him close as Kanda focused on the screen. Their fingers clenched at the loose fabric of Kanda’s shirt, eyes wide as they watched the game progress. “You’re so close, Yuu!”

Lavi had been more interested in the food, as unpalatable as it was, but as Kanda continued to play, his attention shifted. “Damn, when did you get so good at this?” he asked offhandedly, standing just to the right of the screen.

“Jealous?” Kanda asked, a smirk playing on his lips as he continued to smash the buttons.

Lavi laughed and took a sip from his drink. “Not really. More surprised. I didn’t think you liked these games. Or games. Or _anything_ , really—besides Alma.”

Alma laughed, shoulders shaking as they buried their face in the crook of Kanda’s neck. “Glad to know I’m the exception.”

Their distracting conversation and Alma’s close proximity finally ended Kanda’s streak. He failed the level, just short of the high score. With a curse, he kicked the machine and fumbled for another quarter in his pockets.

Ignoring the minor temper tantrum, Lavi continued his conversation with Alma. “Hey, it’s not my fault Yuu’s shitty at communicating. I’m lucky to get a message on my birthday.”

Untangling their arms from around Kanda’s neck, Alma retreated back to their nearby table to grab another slice of burned pizza. “At least you know we’re dating—he did tell you that, right?”

Lavi shook his head as he followed after Alma, the sounds of the game echoing in the background. “I actually heard that from _Lena_. Yuu never mentioned it once.”

Alma snickered and sat down, hands already covered in grease from the pizza. “Typical.”

“You’d better fill me in on everything I missed. Unless you or Lena told me, I’m out of the loop.” Lavi kicked his feet up on one of the empty chairs, gulping down another mouthful of soda.

“Hmm, let me see…What would Yuu not tell you?” Alma wondered out loud, leaning back in their chair. “You know about Mr. Tiedoll, right?”

“Yeah,” Lavi said with a nod. “I think Lena told me when it happened.”

Their art teacher, Froi Tiedoll, had been Kanda’s foster parent for nearly eight years now. Up until then, he’d been shuffled around from home to home. Tiedoll seemed to have the patience for Kanda’s short fuse, and though he was loathed to admit it, Kanda actually liked Tiedoll.

“He’s really nice, and he doesn’t mind when I spend time over at their house,” Alma said, picking at the crust on their pizza slice. Their upbeat energy waned. “I, ah… had to stop inviting Yuu over to my house.”

Lavi blinked, setting his paper cup down. “Why?”

“Oh, you know… My parents are kinda…” Alma trailed off, focusing more on the pizza crust than the conversation. Before they could finish their sentence, Kanda joined them at the table in a huff, grabbing his cup off the table.

“Your parents are assholes,” he said sucking down the soda before snatching another piece of pizza from the plate.

Alma winced, as if they had had this conversation before. “They’re not. They’re just—”

“Homophobic pricks,” Kanda finished their sentence before taking a bite of his slice.

Lavi frowned. Alma hadn’t mentioned that—not once. He would’ve remembered an important detail like that. “What did they do?”

“Nothing—I mean, nothing much. They don’t know I… Well…”

Kanda filled in the holes, surprisingly more talkative now that the focus was on Alma. “They don’t know Alma’s genderfluid. They don’t even fucking know we’re dating.”

“Yuu…” Alma mumbled, looking more uncomfortable by the second. “Don’t be like that. They’re just… old fashioned.”

Kanda scoffed. “If by ‘old fashioned’ you mean ignorant and stupid, then sure. We’ll call that _old fashioned_.”

Sensing the tension between his two friends, Lavi shifted uncomfortably in his seat. “Hey, how about I get us some more pizza?”

Kanda stood then, taking his half empty cup with him. “I don’t want anymore shitty pizza. Let’s go. I ran out of quarters, anyway.” As he headed for the door, leaving the two of them behind, Alma sighed and stood as well. They grabbed their backpack off the floor and threw out their trash in a nearby garbage.

“Sorry. Yuu’s really touchy about that subject,” Alma apologized, shouldering their bag as they both hurried after Kanda.

“I noticed.” Lavi shoved his hands in his pockets as he walked next to Alma. “Are you okay, though?”

“Of course.” Alma gave him a smile, perking up immediately. “Besides, it’s just another year of school and Yuu and I will graduate. I won’t have to deal with my parents after that.”

A knot tied in Lavi’s stomach as he looked at Alma’s smile, hoping it wasn’t as fake as he feared. Shaking off the worrying feelings building in his guts, Lavi threw his arm over Alma’s shoulders and rushed them along. “We’d better hurry or Yuu will ditch us.”

Alma laughed, covering their mouth with their hand to hide it. “He definitely will.”

* * *

As the week progressed, it became apparent how dull public school was. Lavi hadn’t realized it until the first few days passed, but the slow, monotonous rhythm never seemed to change. Day in and day out, he had the same classes, the same lectures, and saw the same people. Even then, he could’ve gotten over it if the work was not so dreadfully boring. Nothing his teachers gave him challenged him in the least—the only exception being art class, where he came to the painful realization that he couldn’t draw a stick figure to save his life. Alma had attempted to help him, but the more they tried, the more frustrated Lavi had become. He would’ve quit the damned class if it wouldn’t make Alma cry for ditching Kanda and them. The only intriguing thing about school thus far had been his interactions with the bold candy thief—Allen Walker.

Allen never spoke to him, but Lavi would’ve been a fool not to realize he’d caught his attention. He always entered the classroom just as the bell rang, rarely bothering to bring his textbooks or even a writing utensil; and each time he sat next to Lavi, he gave the redhead an amused look. Lavi was convinced the only reason Allen had even acknowledged his presence was because of their interaction at the convenience store, as fleeting as it had been.

Lavi had done his best to ignore it, but a bored mind liked to play games with itself. And the current game playing in Lavi’s head was a repeat of _“What the fuck is Allen Walker’s deal?”_

That Friday afternoon, Lavi walked down the halls with his friends, hoping to eat lunch outside since the weather was particularly nice. Just as they cleared the doors, Lavi felt someone brush past him a rush. When he looked up, the object of his thoughts rushed down the sidewalk and towards the street.

Lavi watched as Allen headed for a car parked on the side of the road—too nice to belong to any student, or teacher for that matter. He caught a glimpse of the driver as the door opened, a tall man with dark skin and even darker hair. Allen slipped into the car and just as the door slammed shut, the tires squealed against the asphalt and they were gone.

Lenalee sighed next to Lavi, shaking her head. “Some things never change.”

Her comment gave him pause, and it took him a moment to ask his follow up question. “You know him?”

“Allen?” she asked back as they continued to walk towards the picnic table just on the other end of the school yard. “Yeah, everyone knows who he is.”

“He’s a bit famous here,” Alma added, tipping their chin up to meet Lavi’s curious gaze.

“You mean infamous,” Kanda corrected, only half listening to the conversation.

“Why? What did he do?”

As they settled into an empty table, Lenalee set her backpack down and dug her lunch from it. “Well, it’s more a… running list of things.”

Alma nodded in agreement. “He gets in trouble a lot. Skips classes and sometimes doesn’t show up for days at a time. I’m not sure how he passes his classes.”

“That can’t be the only reason,” Lavi said, resting his elbows on the picnic table. He stared down the street, as if he could still see the taillights of the car if he looked hard enough.

“Everything else is just… rumors.” Lenalee pulled out her water bottle and settled in next to Lavi. “I don’t like to spread rumors—and he’s never been mean to me.”

“Yeah.” Alma leaned against Kanda’s shoulder, poking at the sandwich they’d brought for lunch. “I think everyone just wants to gossip.”

“C’mon, you can’t leave me hanging,” Lavi groaned, feeling more intrigued than before. “At least tell me what the rumors are.”

“Well,” Alma began, wrinkling their nose as they tried to recall. “I’ve heard a few different ones. Someone told me that he got those scars on his face from a fight at a different school—and that he always wears those long-sleeved shirts to cover up gang tattoos.”

“That’s fucking ridiculous,” Kanda snorted, nearly spilling his drink everywhere in the process. “Do you really think someone that scrawny would be in a gang? He’s a damned beansprout. He wouldn’t last two minutes in one.”

“I didn’t say it was true! I’m just telling you what I heard.”

Lavi recalled seeing hints of the scarring on Allen’s face, however he never got a good look at it. He sat with his scarred side away from Lavi and usually kept his hair over it or a hood up to hide it. It was faint, but the skin was a delicate pink—almost as if he’d been burned. Lavi rolled the apple he’d brought with him for lunch between his hands, curiosity piqued. “There’s gotta be more rumors than that.”

“Since when did you become a gossip hound?” Kanda asked, glaring at Lavi from across the table.

Lavi shrunk back slightly, an embarrassed flush painting his cheeks. “I’m just curious,” he mumbled, avoiding eye contact. “He’s in one of my classes.”

“That guy that picked him up just now?” Alma began, leaning in closer to everyone at the table. “I heard from someone that he’s dating him.”

Lavi couldn’t hide the shock from his face, nearly dropping the apple in his hands. “What? Are you serious?”

“Well, I don’t know for sure. That’s just what I heard.”

Lenalee sighed, a disapproving look settling on her face. “We really shouldn’t be spreading rumors.”

“Who the fuck are you talking to?” Kanda asked. He turned his glare to Alma next, quickly losing his patience with the conversation.

“Just some people in one of my classes.”

“They sound like idiots. Ignore them.”

“Yuu, don’t be mean! It’s not like I _believe_ the rumors.”

As Alma and Kanda continued to bicker, Lavi returned his focus to his lunch. After hearing more about Allen, the questions in his mind only grew. With a shake of his head, he tried to push it out of his thoughts. He had better things to do than obsess over the troublemaker in his biology class.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And that's Chapter 2! Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.
> 
> I do apologize for not getting this posted sooner. My cat got very ill this past week and I needed to focus all my energy on getting her well. For those who are concerned, she's doing better now, but not out of the woods yet. She's got pancreatitis, so I need to make sure she eats and takes medicine. (Lucky for me, I'm working from home, so I can keep an eye on her 24/7.) Add that into a full weekend of cleaning out my basement and I was pretty much dead to the world. 
> 
> If you'd like to keep up with me on social media, check out my tumblr (kitty-bandit.tumblr.com) or my DGM tumblr (letspleasuretogether.tumblr.com)
> 
> I'm also on a few DGM discords if you'd like to join! Message me here or tumblr for the link. I'll be posting chapter 3 as soon as I'm able! ;3c


	3. Homecoming

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***Chapter Warning: Sex Scene
> 
> Another chapter sooner than I'd anticipated! I hope you all enjoy this one! And please--remember to leave comments and kudos! They give me the strength to keep writing! ;w;

_Let_ _’s do something wrong  
_ _Let_ _’s do something stupid  
_ _Something we_ _’ll regret tonight  
_ _Anything but the same old nonsense  
_ _Anything but the same old grind_

_Let_ _’s Do Something Wrong  
_ _Chuck Prophet_

* * *

Alma groaned, loud enough to make Lavi wince and look away from his thickly bound copy of Beowulf. The sound echoed in the quiet of the school library, and though they were the only ones there after school besides the librarian, it still put him on edge.

“I don’t get it. I’ll never get it,” Alma complained. They dropped their head into the opened math book in front of them as they let out another pitiful whine.

“Math is stupid, anyway,” Kanda commented back, not looking up from the worksheet laid out in front of him. He scribbled away in pencil, filling in the answers with his messy scrawl. “You won’t use it after high school. Just put in any number on the answer sheet.”

“No.” Lenalee snapped her head up at the suggestion, her purple eyes wide with fright. She sent a murderous glare Kanda’s way before resting a hand on Alma’s shoulder. “Do _not_ do that. I’ll help you with the calculations.”

“Thank you, Lena,” Alma mumbled, face still pressed into their book.

Lavi snickered and pulled his book back up to read. “This is why you’re a straight D student, Yuu.”

“Shut up. You’re not even doing your damn homework. What would you know?” Kanda snapped the lead on his pencil as he scowled at the redhead.

“I’m not doing my work because it’s already finished.” Lavi tapped the pile of books and folders sitting on the table, not veering his gaze away from his book. “So, I picked up some light reading.”

“Beowulf is light reading?” Alma asked, tears in their eyes as they poked their head up from their math textbook, still clearly flummoxed from the equations.

“The translation is, at least. I’ll read the original text after that.”

Lenalee snatched the book from Lavi’s hands, closing it as she pulled it out of his reach. Lavi gasped, taken aback by the sudden attack. “Lena. I was reading that.”

“I know. And now you’re helping me with Alma’s math homework.” She smiled, expression painfully polite as she set the book under her stack of papers, ensuring Lavi wouldn’t be getting it without a fight.

With a sigh, Lavi hung his head and grabbed the sheet of math problems. “Sure,” he said, fighting to not sound disappointed. “I’ll help, too, Alma.”

Alma straightened their posture, mood already perking up. “Thanks, Lavi.”

“Speaking of help, that reminds me,” Lenalee started, shuffling through her backpack for a fresh notebook. “Homecoming is this Friday.”

“Ugh.” It was Kanda’s turn to let his head hit the desk, the resounding thump echoing against the bookstacks.

“Homecoming?” Lavi asked, genuinely curious. He’d heard mention of the event in passing, but hadn’t paid attention to what was actually happening.

“It’s stupid,” Kanda replied, grumbling under his breath as he sat back up and grabbed the next pile of work to do.

Lenalee rolled her eyes before explaining. “It’s to celebrate the football team’s first game back at the home field. There’s a parade earlier in the day, and after the game, we have a dance in the gymnasium.”

“That’s…” Lavi wrinkled his nose as he thought of a more polite word to say than the one floating in his brain. “Dumb.”

“I hate parades. I hate dancing. And I _really_ hate football,” Kanda growled out, his pencil nearly piercing the paper as he wrote in another guessed answer on his worksheet.

Lenalee paused, gently tapping her fingers on the table before replying. “Actually, I was hoping you’d all go with me.”

“No,” Kanda said, lips curling into a grimace as he kept his head down.

Alma leaned against the table and smiled, resting their chin in their upturned palm as they turned to Lenalee. “That sounds like fun!”

“ _No_ ,” Kanda repeated, still refusing to look up.

Lenalee sighed, as if she’d been expecting Kanda’s reaction. “I need to sell raffle tickets for student council and it would be nice if you all came.”

“No fucking way.” Kanda looked up, fire in his eyes as he glared across the table at Lena. “I’m not going to that shitshow.”

Taking a deep breath, Lenalee continued, conveniently ignoring Kanda’s comments. “Proceeds from the raffle are going towards new uniforms for the football team.”

Kanda scoffed, his hands clenching against his worksheet, wrinkling the paper. “I love how the football team gets new uniforms every other year, but the art classes haven’t seen a new paintbrush in a decade.”

Lenalee tapped her pencil against the table and sighed again. “I’m not going to get into a debate over the unequal funding between sports and the arts in education. I just don’t want to go alone to this thing.” She chewed her lower lip. “I’ll buy you all overpriced snacks from the concession stand. Whatever you want.”

“Oh! Even the cotton candy?” Alma asked, growing more excited by the minute.

Lavi snorted as he pulled Alma’s math homework closer so he could start to work on it. “Bribery is not becoming of a student council president, Ms. Lee.”

“I’m not above it, though,” she assured, giving him a wry look.

“I wanna go. C’mon, Yuu! It’ll be fun!” Alma tugged on Kanda’s upper arm, leaning in close.

Alma’s insistence was Kanda’s kryptonite. He grumbled under his breath, but ceased his adamant refusal to go. Lavi couldn’t help but chuckle and hide his grin behind Alma’s worksheet. If anyone could get Kanda to cave, it would be Alma.

“Lavi? What about you?” Alma asked, turning towards the redhead even as they clung to Kanda’s arm. “Will you come, too?”

He shrugged. “Why not? I’ve got nothing better to do. Besides, I’ve never been to a football game before—well, not American football, at least.”

Kanda huffed and went back to filling in the wrong answers on his homework. “I keep forgetting you’re a weirdo who’s been out of the country for ten years.”

“Yuu, hush. You’re being mean.”

“I’m always mean.”

Pursing their lips, Alma knit their eyebrows and turned to Lenalee. “Don’t worry, Lena. I’ll make sure Yuu shows up.”

“What?!”

Lenalee smiled, barely holding back a pleased laugh. “Thank you, Alma.”

“And he’s going to the dance, too.” Alma added, smirking at their boyfriend.

“ _Fuck_.”

* * *

They’d gone to Kanda’s house after school, like usual. Alma tended to avoid spending time at home whenever possible, and Tiedoll’s house was closer to the school. Kanda had wanted to stick around after school, since they were going to the game anyway, but Alma insisted they drop their backpacks off and change first. Of course, he didn’t see the need for it—it wasn’t like his clothes were dirty after a half day of use. But since Alma wanted it, Kanda caved like the pushover he was.

And, _fuck_ , Alma wasn’t playing fair.

Since Alma’s parents were raging homophobic assholes, Alma usually kept a few of their things at Kanda’s house—less traditionally masculine things, in particular. Kanda kept two whole drawers open for Alma in his dresser, and space in the closet as well. It worked out, mostly because Kanda didn’t give a single fuck about his clothes and had room to spare. He took what was given to him and didn’t complain. Clothes were clothes, and it didn’t matter what he wore. But Alma liked to try on different things, _pretty_ things—and goddammit, Kanda was weak.

He felt the heat burning across his cheeks and nose as he avoided watching Alma change in his cramped bedroom. The walls were too close and the air too stifling as Alma stripped out of their shirt and rifled through the bottom drawer of Kanda’s dresser. He watched the faint play of muscles on their back as they searched for something, humming to themself as they shuffled through the clothes.

Kanda sat on the bed, back ramrod straight against the headboard. He chewed at the inside of his cheek, a thrum of anxious, hungry energy buzzing just beneath his skin. He suddenly wished he had time to take a cold shower just to clear his head—or at least five minutes alone to jerk off.

When Alma finally picked a light sweater from the drawer, Kanda thought his suffering would be over. But as soon as Alma slipped into it, he knew it had only just begun. The pink sweater was slightly sheer, the knit fabric light and airy, giving Kanda subtle hints of Alma’s body underneath when the light shone through. Even though it covered Alma’s neck, arms, and torso, it still clung to them in all the right ways, leaving Kanda more flustered than before. It didn’t help that their chin length hair grew staticky from the contact. Kanda watched as they fixed it in the mirror above the dresser, and imagined Alma’s fingers were his own, gently stroking the dark, almost purple strands.

It was at that moment that Kanda knew he couldn’t deal with any bullshit tonight. “I don’t want to go to the fucking game,” he spat out suddenly, averting his gaze from Alma as soon as he caught their attention.

Alma’s brow wrinkled, lips turning into a frown in an instant. “Yuu, c’mon. We promised Lena we’d go. We can’t leave her hanging like that. It wouldn’t be right.”

“ _You_ promised. I didn’t promise anything.” Kanda crossed his arms, still blatantly looking away from Alma. He hated upsetting Alma, but he couldn’t leave the house with a raging hard-on. He’d rather die.

Alma grabbed a pair of glittery pink and purple hair clips off the top of the dresser before walking over to the bed. “I want to go, though. I just got dressed up for it.”

Kanda swallowed, his throat already dry and scratchy. “It’s just a stupid football game. You didn’t even have to change clothes.”

“I wanted to.”

The disappointment in Alma’s voice was too much to take. Kanda grit his teeth and let out a frustrated sigh. “The game is fucking boring. We can just stay here and play video games. Or sleep. I don’t care—anything’s better than football.”

Alma let out a long, heavy sigh as they snapped the two clips into their hair. “But I don’t want to stay home. I want to go out with our friends.”

Kanda didn’t reply, lips pressed tight together in a thin line. He knew if he met Alma’s imploring gaze, he’d lose his nerve.

“We’re gonna be late if we don’t leave now.” They grabbed Kanda’s arm, gentle fingers latching around his wrist as they tried to pull him up out of bed. “Yuu, please. I really want to. We’re gonna have fun, I promise.”

Kanda took his chance, using the one and only card he had up his sleeve. “We can have fun here instead.”

Alma rolled their eyes, resting a hand on their hip. “Oh, yeah? And what exactly would you rather do? Sit around and watch another marathon on Netflix?”

Words failing him, Kanda finally met Alma’s imploring gaze, his dark blue eyes hot enough to melt ice. He grabbed Alma’s hips, pulling them to the edge of the bed. Alma let out a surprised gasp, resting their hands on Kanda’s shoulders to keep from toppling over onto him.

“Yuu, I—” They stopped their sentence in its tracks as Kanda’s hands slid over their hips and along the slight curve of their ass. Alma swallowed, heart jumping into their throat at the intimate touch. “Yuu…”

As Alma’s tone softened, Kanda grew bolder. He slipped one hand onto Alma’s taut stomach, sliding the fuzzy pink sweater up to bare their skin. He pressed his lips next to Alma’s navel, gentle and warm. “Let’s just stay here…” he mumbled, kissing their stomach again and again.

Alma slipped their fingers into Kanda’s long, dark hair, stroking the strands slowly. Their eyes lowered, only half open as they sighed, content with Kanda’s languid kisses. “You could’ve said you wanted to fool around.” They didn’t wait for a reply, instead taking the initiative. Alma crawled into his lap, knees pressing deep into the mattress as their arms encircled Kanda’s shoulders.

Kanda groaned as Alma’s weight pressed against his cock, stiffer than ever in the confines of his jeans. As Alma’s lips came into view, Kanda kissed them hard, biting their lower lip in the process. His hands raked up Alma’s back, sliding just under the sweater and scratching their flesh with his blunt nails.

Even though he’d taken them by surprise, Alma fell into the amorous activities without hesitation. Their tongue slipped into Kanda’s mouth with ease, a whine marinating in the back of their throat. Alma rocked their hips against Kanda’s, the pressure sending a delightful shiver up his spine. They kissed Kanda again, softer this time, and pulled back from his lips to speak. “Yuu, you’re— _ah!_ ” They let out a gasp as Kanda nipped their neck.

Unable to hold back any longer, Kanda sucked deep bruises into Alma’s neck. They squeaked at the sensation, that hint of pain turned into pleasure prickling over their skin. Alma bit their hand to keep the noises down—neither of them knew if Tiedoll had returned from the grocery store yet, and getting caught dry humping in his room would not go over well with his foster father.

“Alma,” Kanda mumbled into their neck, lips brushing over sensitive skin. “Stay here so we can keep doing this.” His hand slid down Alma’s arched back, settling against their ass and squeezing it hard.

Alma groaned, the sound muffled with their hand still in their mouth. They looked to the nightstand, eyeing the clock before easing themself back. “It’s a very tempting offer, but I still want to go to the game.” Kanda opened his mouth, ready to argue again, but Alma cut him off before he could begin, kissing him soundly on the lips. “If we go, we can skip the dance afterwards and come back here? We’d have more time if we waited until Mr. Tiedoll was asleep. Maybe we could…” Alma trailed off, cheeks brightly flushed as they avoided Kanda’s hungry gaze.

_Oh_. Kanda let out a long slow breath, his hand slowly stroking Alma’s back. He knew exactly what Alma had suggested—something they rarely did due to time constraints and privacy issues. He was lucky enough to have such an understanding foster parent, but even Kanda knew not to press his luck too much. But if Alma suggested they do _that_ , well… he really had no issue waiting a few more hours.

“Okay,” he answered finally, voice rough and husky from their makeout session. “But I want one more kiss before we go.”

Alma laughed and tightened their grip around Kanda’s neck. “It’s a good thing I didn’t put on my lipstick yet.”

* * *

Lavi shoved his hands into the front pocket of his sweatshirt. The late September days were still warm, but nights turned surprisingly cold. He wished he’d brought his favorite scarf as he stood next to the raffle table. Excited shouting came from the packed bleachers and he looked up just in time to see a few players celebrating in the endzone. He sighed, sitting next to Lenalee in one of the folding chairs behind the table. “I should’ve listened to Yuu. This is kinda boring.”

“That’s why I bribed you with food.” Lenalee smiled and greeted another group who stopped at the table. After taking their money and handing them tickets, she turned back to Lavi. “It’s been almost two hours and I am ready to leave.”

“Where is your partner, anyway?” Lavi asked, peeking into the bucket with the ticket stubs.

“Please do not call him that,” Lenalee said, rubbing her temple under the dark purple knit hat she had worn for the night. Her hair was plaited into two pigtails that hung over each shoulder. “He went to get another roll of tickets from the supply closet. We’re almost out.”

With a chuckle, Lavi leaned back in the chair, the metal scraping against the sidewalk underfoot. The table was set up near the entrance, close to the ticket booth—specifically placed so no one could miss it when entering the field. “What is the raffle even _for_?”

“I thought you could read?” Lenalee teased, pointing to the sign on the table. “We’re giving away a mini fridge. Someone’s parents donated it.” As another group of students passed the table, Lenalee smiled and waved.

Lavi’s good eye widened in surprise. “That’s actually not an awful prize.” He leaned forward, peering at the sign. “Maybe I should buy a ticket…”

“Five bucks gets you one ticket, twenty gets you five,” Lenalee recited, as she had been all night.

Lavi winced at the prices. “Too rich for my blood.”

“Suit yourself.”

“Speaking of rich, I could go for some of that overpriced food you promised me.” He wiggled his eyebrows at Lenalee, grinning widely.

“And here I was hoping you’d forget.” She shook her head before something caught her eye. “You’re in luck. Link’s back.”

Lavi looked up and spotted Lenalee’s number two. The vice president of the student council looked more the part than Lenalee did—quite the accomplishment, considering how impeccably dressed Lenalee was day after day. Link’s blond plait was tight and neat, the long braid swinging as he strode towards the table. He looked completely out of place in his dress shirt and sweater combo, especially as he passed another group of students decked out in sweatshirts and jeans. His khakis looked stiffer than his personality.

“This is the last of the tickets,” Link announced, setting the bright red roll to the side. He looked at Lavi, who had stolen his seat, disapproval in his russet eyes.

“That’s fine—there’s barely an hour left in the game and sales have slowed a bit.” Lenalee stood, straightening out her light coat and grabbing her purse from under her chair. “I’m going to take a break. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

“Fine,” Link replied, taking back his seat as soon as Lavi had vacated it. “Don’t linger. The table really should have two people working it at all times.”

Lena smiled as she bit back a comment. “Of course.” She grabbed Lavi by the elbow and dragged him off towards the bleachers. As soon as they were out of earshot, she sighed, the noise sounding more angry than any breath had the right to be. “He sure has some nerve saying that after he left me there for nearly thirty minutes.”

Lavi didn’t fight her pull, stumbling along next to her as they headed up the steps. “He should really see a doctor about that stick lodged up his ass.”

She managed a quick laugh, her fake smile turning into a genuine one. “If only it wasn’t permanently stuck.” She spotted Kanda and Alma at the top of the bleachers huddled close to each other. When Alma spotted them, they waved, grinning widely.

“You managed to escape!” they said, making room for Lavi and Lenalee on the bench.

“I told Link I would be gone for ten minutes, but I’ll stretch that to thirty.” Lena wrapped her arm around Alma as she sat down, sitting as close as she could to keep warm. “Lavi and I are going to the concession stand. Did you two want anything?”

“Yes. I want to leave,” Kanda grumbled, tucking his chin into the folds of his jacket.

Alma rolled their eyes. “Don’t listen to him. We’re having fun.” They rested their head against Kanda’s shoulder, pink painted lips stretching wide over their face. “Something warm would be nice. It’s colder than I thought it would be tonight.”

“I think we can manage that.” She nudged Lavi, elbowing him in the side. “Ready to get some sub-par, overpriced food?”

“Always.”

They walked back down the metal bleachers, avoiding the crowded walkway as they headed to the nearby concession stand. As they stood in line, Lavi checked the menu tacked on the wall next to the small order window and balked at the prices. “Yeesh. Are you sure you can buy stuff for everyone? This is more expensive than I thought.”

She pulled her wallet from her purse and held it up as if she was brandishing a sword. “Komui gave me his credit card for tonight, so we’re living large on chili cheese fries and king sized nachos.”

Lavi grinned, rubbing his hands together as he studied the menu board again. “Now that’s what I like to hear.”

When they reached the order window, Lenalee listed off their choices—hotdogs, chili cheese fries, nachos, and a hot chocolate for each of them. By the time their order was ready, they had their arms full as they precariously balanced each item. Lavi winced as he juggled four hot chocolates in his hands.

“This is the definition of hubris, isn’t it?” he asked, carefully following Lenalee back up the bleachers. Every step was a challenge to keep the chocolate in the too-thin paper cups and off his fingers.

“Don’t talk. You’ll lose your concentration and spill,” Lenalee replied, carefully balancing all of the food in her arms. Her stacking technique was impressive, and Lavi would have congratulated her if he didn’t have to worry about spilling hot cocoa all over himself.

When Alma noticed their burdened states, they hurried down to help with the final leg of the journey. “Ah, careful!” they said, taking two of the cups from Lavi’s hands before heading back up the stairs.

“Why did we pick the highest seats on the bleachers again?” Lavi asked, setting the last two cups on the bench to help Lena distribute the food.

“Because Yuu doesn’t like people sitting behind him,” Alma reminded them, grabbing one of the hotdogs and settling in next to Kanda again.

“So, it’s my fault?” Kanda asked, frowning as he grabbed his hot chocolate from Lenalee and sipped it angrily.

“Hush and eat your nachos,” Lenalee said, pushing the flimsy paper container into his hands. Once the food had been passed out, she sat down, only to sigh again. “I forgot napkins.”

“I’ll get them,” Lavi said, setting his food down on the cool bench and heading down the bleacher stairs. He heard Lenalee’s faint call of ‘ _thank you_ ’ mixed in with a sudden cheer from the crowd. He looked up at the field again, having missed whatever play had happened to cause the ruckus. He hopped down off the last couple of steps and turned to walk towards the concession stand when something under the bleachers caught his eye.

Just under the bleachers was Allen, reaching into the back pocket of someone’s pants. Lavi watched as Allen slipped their wallet out with ease, pocketing the cash inside, and then returning it as if nothing had happened. He did it again and again, systematically grabbing any wallet or purse within reach and cleaning the money from the billfolds. Lavi stared in awe, watching Allen’s swift, nimble fingers steal hundreds of dollars in cash from the unsuspecting parents, their attention otherwise preoccupied with the game. That same feeling bubbled up in Lavi’s stomach—the one he’d felt when he’d witnessed Allen pinching those candy bars from the convenience store weeks ago. Nervousness mixed with admiration, and a healthy dose of concern. Lavi had never stolen anything in his life, but watching Allen do it almost felt as if he was an accomplice—too dumbstruck to say anything or try to stop the crime in progress.

As Allen pocketed the last of the cash, he looked up and met Lavi’s frozen gaze. He stiffened for a brief moment before that same smug smile pulled at the corners of his lips. Lavi felt his heart rattle against his chest, cheeks flushed against the cold breeze. He didn’t know what to do, and as much as he wanted to run away and forget what he’d seen, his feet were glued to the ground—like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming semi.

Then, before Lavi could move or speak, Allen approached him.

Lavi swallowed, throat tight as Allen closed the distance between them. He was wearing that same oversized sweatshirt Lavi had first seen him in and a black knit stocking cap to hide his shock white hair. Lavi didn’t doubt he’d come to the game for this exact reason—to steal from the crowd. And from what Lavi had seen, it was easy pickings.

Allen stopped just in front of Lavi, looking up at the redhead with a calm smile. He reached up and pressed a finger to Lavi’s lips, his skin cold and chapped from the wind. “This is our little secret, right?”

“I, uh—” Lavi began, lips moving against Allen’s finger. With his stomach tied in knots, Lavi nodded, his heart flipping in his chest and nearly jumping right out of his mouth. “Sure.”

Allen pulled his finger back, his smile softening. He tilted his head, looking Lavi up and down, as if he was assessing something—though the redhead wasn’t sure what. “You’re Lavi, right?”

“Y-Yeah.”

“Thanks.” He winked, brushing past Lavi and merging into a large group of students heading towards the exit. “See you later.”

As Allen disappeared into the crowd, Lavi’s heart continued to beat like a drum in his ribcage. He let out a breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding.

_What the fuck was that about?_

* * *

Kanda had never walked so fast in his life.

The walk from school to Tiedoll’s house usually took him fifteen minutes. But after the game had ended, he and Alma had parted from their friends. They made it back in less than ten—Alma’s fingers laced between Kanda’s the entire trip home. Alma’s promise earlier that night hadn’t left the back of Kanda’s mind, floating like a delicate specter whispering promises of things yet to come.

He unlocked the front door and slipped inside, waiting for Alma to join him before locking the door once more. The lights were out in the house at the late hour, except for the living room. Kanda and Alma quietly kicked their shoes off in the entryway, staying as silent as possible. As they walked through the hallway, he poked his head into the living room, surprised that Tiedoll was still up. The old man usually passed out before nine on a good night. However, when he scanned the room, he noticed his foster father had fallen asleep in his recliner, lights still on and TV set to a low volume. Smirking, Kanda pulled Alma upstairs.

If they were lucky, Tiedoll wouldn’t hear a thing.

The stairs creaked underfoot and each subtle noise from the wood made Kanda wince. With Alma’s hand still in his, he led them upstairs to his bedroom. When they made it without hearing Tiedoll stir, Kanda closed and locked his bedroom door behind them.

“Yuu,” Alma whispered, leaning in close in the darkened bedroom. The only source of light was the streetlight shining in through the window and Kanda didn’t realize how close Alma was until he felt their breath on his neck.

Kanda didn’t waste a moment, each second they had alone too precious to spend on idle talk. He grabbed Alma’s hips, hands tight in the pink sweater they’d worn that night, and pulled them close, their bodies flush against each other in the dark. Kanda found their lips, smothering a soft moan that threatened to leave Alma’s throat. He’d been excited before they’d left for the game, and now that they were alone again, he felt that familiar heat well up in his guts, simmering like lava in his veins. He pushed Alma towards the bed, their footsteps heavier than they should have been, and knocked his partner onto their back.

Alma’s legs spread wide, curling around Kanda’s waist as he followed them down for another hot and heavy kiss. “Mmm, Yuu,” Alma mumbled between kisses, their lips fumbling against each other with barely concealed impatience. “Take it off— _please_. I want—I want to feel you.”

The stuttered words fell on Kanda’s ears like a prayer, and he began the quick process of stripping them both of their clothes. His shirt flew off in record time, lost to the floorboards, then his pants, fingers rapidly unbuckling the belt around his waist as if his life depended on it. When he’d stripped to his boxers, Kanda started in on Alma.

With Alma, however, he took his time.

He started with their jeans, undoing the button and zipper before slowly sliding them down their thin legs. Alma’s toes twitched as their pants joined the rest of the clothes on the floor. Kanda slid his hands up Alma’s thighs, hands still cold from their late night walk outside. If Alma minded, they didn’t mention it, instead sitting up on the mattress to ease the removal of their sweater. Kanda slipped the fabric up their torso, pulling it free before discarding it as well. With nothing but their underwear between them, Kanda crawled onto the mattress.

Alma slid until they reached the headboard, settling against the pillows at the top of the bed. Kanda reached for the nightstand, rifling around in the drawer until he found what he was searching for—a condom and a small bottle of lubricant. The little items felt heavy and hot in his hand, illicit, and when he crawled back on top of Alma, he kissed them softly, even with the hunger boiling in his stomach.

“What do you want?” Kanda asked, voice husky and low as he kissed along Alma’s neck.

A soft gasp escaped Alma’s painted lips, their eyes closing against the gentle touches on their neck. “Yuu, could you please—” They gasped again, sharper this time, as Kanda nipped harder. “I want—I want you inside me.”

His knees went weak at the request, though it was the answer he’d been expecting. Alma always wanted to _go all the way_ when they had the chance. Not that Kanda minded. He would take Alma any way they let him.

With a soft kiss to Alma’s lips, Kanda slid his hands down to tug off their underwear. It wasn’t until that moment that he’d realized Alma had been wearing a pair of soft, flimsy panties. He shuddered as the delicate cotton barely concealed Alma’s already stiff length. Kanda swallowed as he drew the panties down Alma’s legs, removing them with care. “Just remember to be quiet,” he reminded them before leaning in.

“Mm, I promise,” Alma whispered, relaxing back against the pillows.

Kanda pushed Alma’s legs apart, setting the bottle of lubricant in the bedding. Slowly, Kanda ran his fingers along Alma’s freed dick and licked. He felt Alma shiver at the attention, and gathering his confidence, he parted his lips and took Alma into his mouth.

Kanda had sucked Alma off countless times before—blowjobs were easier to get away with when time was short and space limited. Being together for years gave them the chance to explore each other’s bodies, and with that came the knowledge of how to make Alma’s back arch and toes curl with a flick of the tongue. Kanda prided himself on pleasing his lover, no matter what.

“ _Yuu_ ,” Alma whined, struggling to keep still against the bedding. They covered their mouth with a hand, smearing their already mussed lipstick against their palm, Kanda’s lips sliding up and down their shaft. Their breath came in short, stunted gasps, already excited for how little they’d done.

Kanda worked slowly, mouth gliding over hard flesh as he smeared spit and precum over their length. As he moved down, the wiry hairs at the base of Alma’s cock tickled his nose, the sensation easing as he slid back to the tip. As much as he wanted Alma to keep quiet, their little mewls and whines drove Kanda mad with want, his own cock straining in the confines of his boxers at the sound. When he’d spent enough time working Alma up, he stopped and grabbed the lubricant as he released them from his lips.

Alma let out a pleased sigh, body turning to jelly as Kanda fiddled with the bottle, squirting more than enough of the clear liquid on two of his fingers. He pushed one of Alma’s legs over his shoulder, leaning in again and resting his cheek against their inner thigh. Alma shifted their hips, making it easier for Kanda to work. He slid the lubricated fingers along the cleft of Alma’s ass until he found their tight, pinched entrance. Alma gasped as Kanda fingered them, the shock of the touch always taking a moment to get comfortable with.

As he worked his fingers into Alma’s ass, Kanda resumed sucking their dick, mouth and tongue slowly dragging over stiff flesh. The effect was immediate as Alma squirmed under Kanda’s touch, hips gently rocking back and forth, as if they couldn’t decide whether to fuck themself into Kanda’s mouth, or back onto his hand.

“Yuu,” Alma whispered between their fingers, tone pleading and desperate. “Yuu, _please_.”

Kanda’s fingers twisted deeper in Alma, spreading them wider with slow, deliberate motions. As he worked, Alma’s fingers found their way into his hair, tugging on the long, dark strands, as if it would spur Kanda on faster.

Alma was lucky Kanda felt too impatient that night to draw out their foreplay.

With care, Kanda withdrew his fingers and mouth at the same time, releasing Alma and leaving them a panting mess against the sheets. Kanda grabbed the condom he’d found earlier, ripping the foil open with his teeth. After shimmying out of his boxers in a rush, he rolled the thin latex over his stiff, untouched cock, stifling a low moan at his own touch.

“Alma,” he began, sliding between their legs as he crawled on top of them. “Are you ready?”

“Yes,” Alma replied without hesitation. “ _Please_.”

Shifting Alma’s hips, Kanda slid his cock along their ass, slowly lining himself up. When he found their tight, slick entrance, he rocked forward, pressing into them until he bottomed out. Alma moaned at the pressure, louder than they should have considering Tiedoll was only just downstairs. They reached up to grab Kanda’s shoulders, pulling him down and smashing their mouths together in a sloppy, hungry kiss.

Kanda lost himself in the hot feeling of Alma’s body. He tried to swallow down a moan, but failed, the sound reverberating in Alma’s mouth as they kissed. He wanted a moment to acclimate, but Alma—it seemed—had other plans. They rocked their hips up into Kanda’s creating a pleasant friction that shuddered up his spine and rattled his teeth. He groaned again, louder than he wanted to, and returned the motion, thrusting down into Alma with a snap of his hips.

The action forced a breath from Alma’s pink lips, breaking their kiss with the motion. “Yuu,” Alma whispered, voice wrecked with lust. They tangled their fingers into Kanda’s hair and buried their face against his neck, trying hard not to make too much noise. Kanda couldn’t blame him—it was proving tricky for him as well.

But all was still and quiet past his bedroom door, and if they were lucky, it would stay that way. Not wanting to wait a moment longer, Kanda began.

Bracing one arm against the mattress and holding Alma’s hip with the other, Kanda rocked into them. The movement was slow at first, a steady, gentle rhythm as their bodies grew accustomed to the motion. But before long, Kanda felt himself lose focus—lose that tentative hold on his control. It began with a rougher thrust, harder and deeper than the previous ones, and when he heard the wanton noise that spilled past Alma’s lips in response to the rough treatment, Kanda knew he was a goner.

He fucked into Alma faster, the mattress squeaking softly with each pump of his hips. Alma wrapped their legs around Kanda, locking their ankles together to keep him close as they tightened their grip around his neck. Alma’s back arched obscenely, and they bit their lower lip to stifle the hungry cries threatening to pour from their mouth.

“Faster, Yuu,” they mumbled, nails digging into the back of Kanda’s neck.

Kanda complied, sweat prickling across his forehead and along his back as he thrust faster still. He lost himself in Alma’s heat, the tightness of their backside drawing him with each movement. He felt Alma loosen their grip on his hair, one hand snaking down between them to pump their own cock in time to Kanda’s thrusts. They spread out under Kanda like a buffet and he felt like a starving man, ready to devour every inch of them. 

Alma stroked themself, running their fingers along the shaft and spreading precum over the stiff flesh. Each pump of their fist brought them closer to the edge and they rutted up against Kanda without care. The soft whines that they couldn’t hold back fell on Kanda’s ears like a melody—perfect, precious, and only for him to hear.

Unfortunately, Kanda knew he couldn’t last long—not when Alma’s body felt so _right_ under him and the intimate touches between them grew in intensity. He was weak, he knew it, but he doubted that Alma knew exactly how much power they held over Kanda.

“Yuu,” Alma mumbled his name again, the single syllable too tantalizing to ignore. “I-I’m—” They cut themself off, biting back a moan. Kanda felt their hand pump faster, more erratic, then the splash of something hot and wet sliding between their stomachs. Alma went limp under him, panting heavily and pressing their clean hand to their mouth to stifle the majority of their lewd noises.

It was too much for Kanda to bear. Before he could warn Alma, he came with a sharp pump of his hips, rocking into them hard enough to whack the headboard against the wall. As his orgasm faded and his head cleared, Kanda panted into Alma’s neck, desperately trying to catch his breath. He felt one of Alma’s hands in his hair, stroking the long strands softly.

“That was fun,” they said, grinning as they hid their face in Kanda’s shoulder.

Kanda chuckled, the sound weak and airy as he struggled to sit up. He didn’t want to crush Alma under the dead weight of his limp and exhausted body. “More fun than that stupid game.”

Alma laughed softly, brushing back their sweat slicked bangs from their forehead and they stared up at Kanda in the darkened room. “Yeah, I’ll have to concede to that.”

With slow movements, Kanda got out of bed, discarding the condom and grabbing a dirty towel off the floor. “We’d better clean up and get dressed, in case we were too loud and Tiedoll comes to investigate.”

“I really don’t want him to see me naked,” Alma snickered as they sat up, still lethargic and stiff. They took the offered towel, gently scrubbing the drying cum from their stomach. “I can stay the night, though, right?” they asked, voice soft even in the quiet of the bedroom.

Kanda slipped back into his boxers and shirt, and when he heard Alma’s question, he turned and pressed a quick, chaste kiss to their forehead. “Yeah. I’ll even make you pancakes tomorrow.”

Alma grinned, wide and honest, as they handed the towel back to Kanda. “Thanks, Yuu.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Kanda said, handing them some clothes to sleep in. “Just get some clothes on and go to sleep.”

* * *

“I can’t believe they ditched us,” Lavi grumbled as he helped Lenalee put away the chairs and table from the raffle. “I mean, Alma made a big deal about wanting to go to the dance.” He walked backwards into the supply closet, moving slowly so as not to knock over the array of junk piled up in every corner and space available. They leaned the folding table against the wall where there was just enough space, then grabbed the chairs from the hallway. Music filtered down the halls from the gymnasium, though it was so muffled, Lavi couldn’t make out what song was playing.

Lenalee shook her head, an amused smile on her lips. “I’m not. I’m pretty sure the reason they left early was so they could go fool around.”

Lavi almost dropped the chair in his hands at Lenalee’s blunt reply. “W-What? How do you know that?”

She helped him with the chairs, stacking them next to the folded table. “Trust me. I’ve known them both for a long time. I can tell when they’ve got sex on the brain.” After the last chair was put away, they exited the storage closet and Lenalee locked the door. “Alma gets more clingy with Kanda than usual. And Kanda actually blushes over it.”

“Oh,” Lavi replied, rubbing his nose to hide the flush on his own cheeks. He knew Alma and Kanda were a couple and he hadn’t thought they were holding off on sex, but it still flustered him to hear about it.

“Did you want to stick around for the dance?” Lenalee asked. If she noticed his flustered state, she didn’t comment on it.

“Nah,” he replied, glad to focus on something other than the thought of his two friends’ sex lives. “Gramps wanted me to help him with some chores tomorrow. Since Alma and Yuu left, I might as well go home and get some sleep before he wakes me at the asscrack of dawn.”

Lenalee laughed as she adjusted the shoulder strap of her purse. “I don’t blame you. Did you want a ride home? I can drop you off so you don’t have to walk in this cold weather.”

“Yes, please,” Lavi said with a relieved sigh. He wasn’t looking forward to the long walk by himself.

“I just need to drop these keys off at the administration office, then I’ll meet you out front.”

They parted ways down the hall, Lavi heading off towards the front entrance of the school. He slipped out through the doors, the brisk air hitting his face and cooling down his flushed cheeks. As he sighed, a hint of fog puffed out with his breath. It shouldn’t have been this cold for late September.

Shoving his hands in his pockets to keep his fingers warm, he walked to the edge of the street. The night sky was clear and even with the light pollution from the city, he could still see stars twinkling above.

The sound of footsteps caught his attention and he looked up, expecting to see Lenalee. However, when he caught sight of the person walking towards him, his heart seized up in his chest.

Allen tugged back the hood from his face as he stopped a few paces from where Lavi stood. His pale pink lips quirked into the ghost of a smile as he looked up at the redhead. “I feel like I should get a restraining order.”

Lavi blinked, taken aback. “Sorry?”

“You keep following me around. What—are you my stalker?”

Lavi took a step back, eyebrows creased in displeasure. “Hey, I’m just standing here waiting for my friend. You’re the one who decided to join me.”

Allen tugged the oversized hoodie closer to his small frame, hands stuffed deep in the pockets as he continued to stare up at Lavi. He was quiet, contemplative—as if Lavi were some sort of puzzle he was trying to piece together.

Then, without warning, he shrugged his shoulders and looked back out to the desolate street. “You didn’t rat me out, did you?” he asked, his tone less concerned than Lavi thought it should have been.

“ _No,_ ” Lavi replied, lips curling into an unpleasant frown. “I’m not a snitch. But you shouldn’t be stealing things. Not that it’s any of my business.”

Allen snickered, shoulders hunched up against the cold wind. “You’re right,” he began, grinning widely. “It’s not your business.”

Lavi sighed. He was frustrated with how his words were used against him, but didn’t want to strain the conversation more. He could tell Allen was amused by the situation, the little thief not bothering to hide his grin.

Before he could think of something to say, a car pulled up to the sidewalk in front of them. Lavi recognized it immediately—it was the same fancy car that he’d seen Allen get into during lunch hour.

“As much as I’m enjoying our thrilling conversation, my ride is here.” Allen moved towards the vehicle, turning to Lavi as he grabbed the door handle. “See you later, Lavi.” He winked before hopping into the passenger seat, closing the door as the car sped off down the street.

Lavi stared as the car disappeared around the corner, face painted bright red and frustration aching in his chest. He let out an angry huff, hands clenched into fists at his sides. He really should have stayed home tonight.


	4. The Project

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another chapter up! I want to thank everyone who's sent me comments and kudos so far. It means so much to me when I get feedback and really does help me to keep writing. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this chapter. ^^
> 
> **No warnings apply.**

_‘Cause maybe someday  
_ _I could learn to trust you  
_ _And just stop thinking with my head_

_What_ _’s Wrong with That?  
_ _Lifehouse_

* * *

Allen hadn’t spoken to him since homecoming night.

To be fair, only a week had passed since then, and Lavi hadn’t exactly gone out of his way to talk with his thieving classmate. But their last interaction haunted him, the memory floating in the back of his mind like a ghost—an annoying, persistent ghost that really needed to get on with their afterlife and leave him the hell alone. All Lavi wanted was to forget about his odd run-ins with Allen and focus on something else— _anything else._ But he felt doomed to replay memories in his head over and over again like a broken record. It didn’t help that classes bored the ever-loving-fuck out of him. If he had _something_ to occupy his time, he probably could’ve shaken his strange interactions with Allen.

Probably.

Biology class had become torture. When Allen deigned to grace the class with his presence—which, thankfully, wasn’t often—he seemed to get a sick delight out of teasing Lavi. It was never anything outright mean. Allen never made fun of Lavi like a normal bully would have. But he did find it hilarious to make him squirm. And Lavi grew more and more uncomfortable as time passed.

At first, Allen had simply grinned or winked at him, as if they had some shared secret. And they did, at least in the sense that Lavi wasn’t going to tell anyone about the two times he caught Allen stealing. Sometimes, he just stared at Lavi, silver eyes like pools of liquid metal drawing him in. But as the days passed, Allen turned up the heat. This morning’s class, Lavi had to struggle to focus on the bland lecture as Allen sucked on a lollipop, tongue working obscenely on the hard candy as he watched Lavi from the corner of his eye. The worst part, the part that he refused to ever admit to anyone— _even under penalty of death_ —was that Allen’s little show that morning was turning him on.

It was goddamn torture.

He was so distracted that it took a moment to realize the teacher had changed the discussion topic.

“—and you’ll be partnered up at random,” she said, grabbing a stack of papers from her mess of folders scattered on the desk. She handed the stack to the first person in the front row. The student took one sheet, then passed it back, slowly distributing the papers through the classroom. “Remember, this project will reflect one fourth of your grade for the semester, so choose your topic wisely. I expect everyone to work their hardest—and be creative!”

As Lavi received his sheet, he caught up on the teacher’s ramblings. The class was to complete a project for the science fair in one month. There was a long list of recommended projects, as well as several prohibited ones. The entire thing didn’t seem too difficult, though the prospect of having to work with a partner soured his mood. He didn’t know anyone in the class that well—and though the teacher had said she would assign partners at random, Lavi dreaded the thought of pairing up with someone who didn’t want to put in the work, or worse, wanted to control the whole project.

The teacher rifled through her papers. “Now, let me get my list of pairs,” she said, harried as she struggled to find the list. She smiled triumphantly as she plucked it from the mess on her desk. “Okay, here we go. Raj and Ellen…”

Lavi spaced out as the names were called, still scanning over the instructions in front of him. He tapped his pencil against his open textbook, already picking his brain for possible projects that would secure him a perfect score for the class, when suddenly he heard his name called—and his partner’s.

“Lavi and Allen.”

Lavi’s blood froze in his veins as he heard his name paired off with Allen’s. The teacher continued down the list, oblivious to the shock that hit him to the very core. Of course Allen was chosen to be his partner. He was starting to think the universe took some perverse pleasure in watching him suffer. Lavi hazarded a glance at Allen, only to find him grinning widely at the news. Their eyes met for a split second before Lavi looked away, flushed and frustrated. He was ready to crawl into a hole and die—it would be better than dealing with Allen for a month while they worked on this project.

The rest of class flew by in a blur, Lavi too numb after hearing the news to think straight or pay attention to the clock. When the bell rang, he grabbed his books and headed out the door. At least it was lunchtime and he could bitch about his awful luck to his friends. They would let him cry on their shoulders—at least everyone but Kanda. He had a feeling his surly friend would tell him to quit whining and get over it. Good advice, but not something Lavi wanted to hear at that moment.

Just as he cleared the door and slipped into the hall, he felt a tug on his elbow, pulling him to a stop. Lavi turned and was surprised to see Allen there, his cold fingers still gripping Lavi’s arm to keep him from running off.

“You walk too fast, did you know that?” Allen asked, leading him closer to the wall and out of the way as the rest of the class exited the room.

“Maybe your legs are just too short,” Lavi shot back, chewing at the inside of his cheek anxiously. He didn’t want to deal with this now, or ever, if he were honest. Allen’s forwardness was already getting under his skin.

“Maybe yours are too long.”

“Okay,” Lavi snapped, finally pulling out of Allen’s grasp. “What do you want?”

“Wow, touchy.” Allen took a step back, giving Lavi some space to cool down. “I just figured it would be good to talk to _my partner_ about this science project. You did hear Ms. Kowalski, right?”

Lavi sighed, trying to rein in his frustration for the moment. He was already regretting being so short with Allen, even if he had it coming. “Yes, I heard her.”

“ _So_ , we should figure out what we’re doing for this project. I can’t fail something that’s a quarter of my grade.”

“I’m a little insulted you think being my partner would get you a failing grade.” Lavi shifted his weight and held his books closer to his chest—anything to put space between him and Allen. Getting too close made him feel… _weird_. “Besides, aren’t you going to make me do all the work?”

Allen chuckled and looked away, biting his lip as if he were holding back a rude comment. When he returned his gaze to Lavi, he tilted his head. “You have an awfully high opinion of me, don’t you?”

Lavi didn’t respond—he didn’t know how to. Instead, he averted his eye, staring at the plain brick wall and shifting uncomfortably under Allen’s unyielding gaze. When it was clear he wouldn’t say anything in return, Allen shook his head.

“Are you busy tonight?”

Lavi swallowed down the uncomfortable feeling building in his chest before answering. “No.”

Allen didn’t hesitate to continue. “Let’s meet at your place to plan this thing, then.”

“Why not your house? Or the library.”

Allen laughed again, though this sounded more genuine than the first. “Trust me—there’s no concentrating on anything at my place, and the library won’t let you eat there.”

“Okay,” Lavi agreed, a little confused with Allen’s reasonings. “My grandfather won’t be home for a few hours after school, so we have time to figure things out.”

“You don’t have a car, do you?”

Lavi paused, even more confused than before. “No, I walk to school.”

Allen nodded. “Meet me out front at 3:20. I’ll get us a ride.” Before Lavi could question him further, he turned and disappeared into the crowd of students. Lavi stood there by the wall, still letting the interaction soak in, when it hit him—he’d just agreed to let Allen, an unabashed thief, come to his house and find out where he lived.

Lavi had never felt stupider in his entire life.

* * *

Lenalee sighed, gently patting Lavi on the back as she watched the redhead groan into his folded arms, face against the cafeteria table. “You’re making a bigger deal out of this than you need to.”

“Why?” Lavi whined, shaking his head back and forth, face still buried in his arms. “Why did I agree to it? I’m an idiot.”

“That goes without saying,” Kanda muttered, purposefully avoiding looking at the pitiful mess Lavi had worked himself into.

Alma gave Kanda a displeased look before patting Lavi’s head, mussing his already untamable locks. “I agree with Lena. It’s just for a project, right? What’s the worst thing that can happen?”

Lavi had a laundry list of things that could go wrong, but he bit his tongue and kept his mouth shut. He hadn’t told them about catching Allen stealing at the convenience store or the homecoming game, but they knew about Allen teasing him in class. It was more the principle of it all—he’d promised to stay quiet about Allen’s sticky fingers, but those teasing looks and comments otherwise were fair game.

Though they had no idea Allen was a thief—and a good one, at that—both Lena and Alma were right. He was overreacting. Letting loose another sigh, he sat up and picked at his bagged lunch, the turkey on white bread with mayo and lettuce looking less appetizing than it had earlier. “I really don’t want to do this project.”

“Think of it as a way to get to know your classmates,” Alma offered. They took a long sip from their water bottle before getting an excited look in their eyes and pulling it back. “Oh! If you become friends with him, maybe you’ll figure out if some of the rumors about him are true!”

“You just want to know if he’s _really_ part of an indie punk rock band,” Kanda said, pinching a few of the fries from Alma’s tray. Alma didn’t notice, chasing down their thoughts like a runaway train.

“Lavi!” they exclaimed, shaking his arm as their smile grew. “You could unravel the great mystery that is Allen Walker!”

Lavi rocked back and forth on the bench as Alma shook him, chuckling at their excitement. “This isn’t what I signed up for.”

“You’re right—Ms. Kowalski signed you up for it.” Lenalee laughed, hiding her smile behind her drink. “You can blame her when the project goes to hell.”

“Or if Allen’s makes you join his cult,” Kanda added, still not looking up from his meal.

“There’s a cult?!” Alma asked, eyes widening.

Kanda shrugged. “If we’re making up weird rumors, why not?”

“Yuu…”

Rolling his good eye, Lavi sighed and picked up his sandwich. “I’m never coming to you three for advice again.”

“I thought you just came to us to complain?” Lenalee asked, raising her eyebrow curiously.

“Same difference.”

* * *

He shouldn’t have been this nervous.

Even after a stress-reducing lunch with his friends, Lavi had spent the latter half of the day worrying about meeting Allen after school. He couldn’t concentrate on his classes, more so than usual. His thoughts returned to Allen again and again, as if his classmate had cast a spell on him. Though he didn’t believe in magic, he was starting to think anything was possible when Allen was involved.

Sun warmed Lavi’s shoulders as he stood at the front of the school, waiting for Allen. The early October air felt warmer than normal, though he could feel that hint of autumn mingling in it. A few of the smaller trees on his walks to and from school were already turning colors, though it would be a couple weeks before the leaves would burst into their yearly colorful spectacle.

Swathes of students pushed their way out of the building, chatting excitedly as they left school grounds. Buses lined up outside along the street, kids hurrying inside their designated transportation or heading down the sidewalks to find their own way home. Lavi sighed as students hurried past him, wishing he didn’t have to wait. Part of him wanted to ditch Allen and just make up an excuse the next day, but he knew he couldn’t put this off forever. At some point, they would have to work on their project, and whether he liked it or not, he was stuck with him.

As the crowd on the sidewalk thinned and the buses began to pull away from the school, Lavi heard his voice—that dulcet tone that always managed to put him on edge. “I figured you wouldn’t wait around for me.”

Lavi turned, his gaze landing on Allen’s lithe form. He carried nothing with him—no backpack or books or papers. Lavi shouldn’t have been surprised—he doubted Allen did much homework. “We might as well get this project over with.”

“Inspirational.” Allen laughed, joining Lavi closer to the curb. He smiled up at Lavi, shoving his hands in the back pockets of his worn out jeans. “Our ride will be here soon.”

Shifting slightly away from Allen, Lavi rubbed his arm and stared out at the street. He hated the way Allen’s unwavering stare made his heart jump in his throat. “Who exactly is our ride?”

“A friend.”

“Descriptive.”

Allen chuckled, the sound so soft it almost got lost in the faint breeze blowing past them. “You don’t like not being in control of a situation, do you?”

“Does anyone?” Lavi asked back, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

“I know a few people who bask in it. But no need to get snippy.” Allen shrugged, looking away from Lavi. “I was just making an observation.”

Lavi chewed on the inside of his cheek, biting back a reply he knew would likely get thrown back in his face. He didn’t like how spot-on Allen’s observation was, especially for barely knowing him. It frustrated him more because he still couldn’t figure Allen out.

“He’s here,” Allen said, pulling Lavi out of his thoughts. The same sleek, expensive car that Lavi had seen picking up Allen from school in days past pulled up to the sidewalk and stopped in front of them. Without waiting for Lavi, he walked up to the car and pulled the door open.

As Lavi expected, the man he’d seen before was at the wheel, his long curled hair hanging over his shoulder and sunglasses covering his eyes. He hung back, too nervous to move forward, staring dumbly as Allen sat in the passenger’s seat.

“What are you waiting for? Get in,” Allen said, giving him an expectant look as he closed the door.

Shaking his apprehensive thoughts, Lavi walked to the car, settling into the backseat. The leather interior felt plush under him and he suddenly worried about scuffing the floor mats. Everything in the car looked expensive—certainly too pricey for him to be touching.

“So, this is your little redheaded friend?” the driver asked, his voice deep and sweet like honey. Lavi swallowed thickly, a pleasant tingle radiating up his spine.

“Lavi, this is Tyki, ” Allen supplied, kicking his feet up on the dashboard—as if he didn’t care how nice or clean the car was. “Tyki, Lavi.”

“Hi,” Lavi replied weakly, fingers tight around the books in his lap. He winced after the short, clipped word left his lips, realizing how ridiculously childish he sounded.

Tyki grinned, eyebrows raised as he turned to Allen. “Where am I going, boy?” he asked, drumming his fingers against the steering wheel.

“Lavi,” Allen said, not bothering to turn around in his seat. “I know you’re busy being weird right now, but could you please tell Tyki where you live so we can, y’know, go there?”

The insult snapped Lavi out of his nervousness, the feeling replaced with annoyance in an instance. “If anyone’s the weird one here, it’s you,” he snapped back, sitting up straighter as he tried to glare at Allen through the seat. “And I live on Walnut Street. Number 149.”

Tyki snickered and put the car in drive, heading in the direction Lavi had indicated. “You really know how to pick ‘em,” he commented to Allen, his laughter petering off as they drove.

“His personality needs work, but at least he’s fun to tease.”

Lavi flushed angrily at the insult. “Excuse me? I’m not the one with a personality problem.”

“See?” Allen added, grinning as he watched the scenery slowly slide by through the passenger side window.

“Adorable,” Tyki replied, laughter in his voice as he focused on the road.

With a huff, Lavi crossed his arms and settled back in his seat, glaring out the window. This was definitely not a good start to their project.

The drive only took a few minutes and when Tyki pulled up to the sidewalk near the front of Lavi’s house, Lavi got out of the car as fast as humanly possible. Allen took his time, exchanging a few words with Tyki. Lavi couldn’t hear the conversation, their words muffled by the closed windows, but when Allen exited the vehicle, he grinned at Lavi as Tyki drove away with a screech of the tires.

“Ready to get this project started?”

“No, but I’ll do it anyway,” Lavi said with a sigh, leading Allen up the front walk and to the entrance.

After unlocking the door, he let Allen in, kicking his shoes off at the front entrance before heading into the hallway. “Gramps is gone for a few more hours, so we have time to get work done.”

“Gramps?” Allen asked, taking off his shoes as well before following after Lavi.

“My grandfather. This is his house. I just moved in before school started.” He headed towards the staircase, not waiting for Allen. “C’mon, let’s go to my room. We can use my computer to look up some decent projects.”

Allen snickered, grabbing the railing as he walked up after Lavi. “Already inviting me to your room? How forward of you.”

Lavi pressed his lips together in a thin line, letting out a long sigh. He hoped his flushed cheeks would cool down before Allen caught sight of them. After Allen’s confession in the car, he knew that would only spur his project partner on more.

Allen peeked into the open rooms as they passed each one, humming to himself as they continued down the upstairs hallway. “This house is huge—and what’s with all the books? Every room is filled with them.”

“Gramps is a historical librarian and preservationist. He collects a lot of books.”

“Didn’t know librarians made enough money to live in big houses.”

“They do if they’re as good as my grandfather,” Lavi added, stopping as they reached his room. “And the house is not as big as it seems. Gramps got it from his father before him, so it’s not like he _bought_ it. It’s been in the family for a while.”

He opened the bedroom door and waved for Allen to follow him. “This is my room. Don’t break anything.”

Allen let out a low whistle as he entered, standing just inside the threshold as he took in the room’s appearance. “What are you, a hoarder?”

“Hilarious,” Lavi grumbled, weaving through the stacks of books and other various items left out on the floor to get to his desk. Pushing back a few notebooks scattered over the computer, he opened the laptop and booted it up. “I’m not a hoarder. I just don’t have a lot of space.”

“More space than I got,” Allen replied, tiptoeing over a few piles of dirty laundry. “Though, I don’t have as much junk.”

“It’s not junk.”

“Agree to disagree. But you need to clean. Or hire a maid.” Allen finally managed to shift closer to the bed and took a seat on the unmade mattress. “Maybe pay her double just for the trouble.”

“It’s not that bad. You’re being dramatic.” Once the computer was up and running, he grabbed the sheet of paper that their biology teacher had given them, looking over the list of projects she’d suggested. “Now, instead of worrying about my bedroom, focus on the project.”

“And what _is_ our project?” Allen asked, leaning in close to look at the computer screen.

“Whatever we want, essentially.” Lavi searched a few of the projects their teacher has listed online, looking for the perfect one. “We want to do something interesting enough to capture Ms. Kowalski’s attention, but not too hard to take up a lot of our time.”

Allen raised an eyebrow, an impressed look crossing his face. “You sound like you’ve done this before.”

“Of course—I’ve done plenty of projects for school. I just never had to work with a partner before.”

“Oh, so I’m your _first_?” Allen asked, a glimmer of mischief in his eyes.

Lavi sighed, closing his eyes and hoping his face hadn’t burst into flames yet. “I was home schooled before this. I didn’t exactly get a lot of interaction with my classmates.”

“Sounds nice, to be honest.” Allen looked at the screen, lips pulled into a dissatisfied frown. “I really don’t care what project we pick, as long as it’s easy.”

“Hmm…” Lavi scanned the copy of the list, then smiled, typing in one of the project names. “How about this?” he asked, pointing to the information that pulled up in the search engine.

Allen squinted. “ _Inhibition of growth of bacteria_ ,” he read off the screen, frowning deeply. “Sounds hard.”

“It’s not so bad. Basically, we just need to get the materials and wait.” He clicked into the instructions for the project, finding more than enough information. “The test will be to see if cinnamon or curry inhibits the growth of bacteria. Once we set it up, we just have to take pictures once a day and wait until we see results. And write up the paper, of course.”

“Curry… Now, I’m hungry.” As if on cue, Allen’s stomach grumbled loudly, causing Lavi to jump from the suddenness of the noise.

Lavi couldn’t help but laugh and the ridiculousness of the timing. “I guess your stomach votes for this project.”

Allen laughed, though Lavi could tell he tried not to. “Can’t argue with that.”

Lavi bookmarked the page on his laptop, feeling better already now that they had a plan. In spite of his original misgivings—and Allen’s rude remarks and comments—the afternoon planning session hadn’t been too awful so far. He pulled up a new browser window, typing into the search bar. “Are you really hungry? ‘Cause I can order some Indian food if your stomach is _really_ craving curry.”

Allen hesitated, meeting Lavi’s gaze as if he were trying to decide if the offer was genuine or not. He looked nervous, fidgeting with the long hem of his shirt sleeve. “I don’t… I don’t have any money.”

“That’s fine,” Lavi replied, looking back to the screen and clicking into the restaurant’s online ordering page. “I can pay for it.”

“Really?” Allen asked, still looking suspicious, waiting for the catch to come. “Do you have a job or something?”

“Nah. When I moved in with Gramps, Mom gave me a credit card to use when I needed stuff.”

Allen scooted closer, resting his elbow on the edge of the desk. He looked over the menu, glancing at Lavi every few seconds. “Why are you living here instead of with your mom?”

The question caught Lavi off guard, and he paused, mouse pointer just over an order of samosas. “…She travels a lot for work,” he began, not sure why he was explaining himself to the kid who had been tormenting him for weeks now. “Since it’s my senior year, she wanted me to have some stability so I could focus on classes and what I wanted to do after school ended. That’s why I moved in with Gramps.”

Allen nodded, quiet for a moment as he continued staring at the screen. “That’s pretty nice of her,” he replied, almost wistful.

“Yeah,” Lavi added, unsure of Allen’s odd tone. “Anyway, what do you want? My treat—or, my mom’s treat, technically.”

Allen chuckled, and just like that, the heavy air cleared between them. “Well, if she’s buying, I’ll have an order of naan, tikka masala, and the saag.”

Lavi put the order in, giving Allen an incredulous look. “Can you even eat all that? This restaurant gives huge portions.”

“Oh, trust me,” Allen began, cracking his knuckles as he leaned back against the wall. “I’ll manage.”

* * *

Maybe Allen wasn’t so bad.

After their first project planning session, something shifted between them. Lavi wasn’t sure if it was because Allen had eased up on his teasing or if Lavi had relaxed more in his classmate’s presence, but things began to feel less tense—mellow, even. After they had set up the project, keeping the petri dishes on Lavi’s bookshelf in his room, they met after school three times a week to check on their progress and occasionally work on other homework. Allen quickly realized Lavi was something of a nerd and used the time they had together to get help with his schoolwork.

Though half the time, schoolwork was put aside in lieu of goofing off. Lavi had a few computer games on his laptop and they would take turns playing them while ragging on the other’s performance. Sometimes Lavi would make snacks—pizza rolls, chips, and popcorn were a favorite between them—and they would end up watching Netflix or browse stupid videos on Youtube.

Some afternoons Tyki would pick them up at school and drop them off at Lavi’s house—others Allen said it was fine to walk. There was never a reason given, but Lavi went with it, not minding the free rides. And in spite of Lavi’s original misgivings, the science project was going better than expected.

The only downside was his friends’ probing questions.

They were in the library after school, in another one of Lenalee’s scheduled study sessions, when Alma nudged Lavi’s side. “You haven’t told us if you’ve joined the band yet.”

Lavi blinked, looking up from his copy of _Catcher in the Rye_. “What are you talking about?”

“You know, Allen’s band,” Alma clarified, returning Lavi’s confused stare with one of his own.

Kanda sighed from across the table, the defeated sound echoing through the empty library. “Stop it with these weird rumors. They’re not true.”

Lavi set his book down, trying to hold back a laugh. “You think Allen is in a band? And I _joined_ it?”

“Well, that’s what I _heard_ ,” Alma explained, giving Lavi a suspicious look. “Joey told Amber who told me that he saw you leaving with Allen and that other guy who picks him up after school. Like, every other day this week.”

The accusation hit Lavi in the chest like a hammer to his heart. He didn’t realize people were _watching_ him and he certainly didn’t understand why they would bother in the first place. “I’m tone-deaf. No one should ever let me near a musical instrument.” He looked away, an uncomfortable feeling washing over him as Alma’s gaze bore into him. “We’re just working on our science project. That’s all.”

Lenalee sat up straighter, finally pulling her gaze from the textbook laid out on the table in front of her. “Wait. You were in that car with him? The one that picks him up after school?”

“Yeah,” Lavi asked, confused at her tone. “Tyki picks us up sometimes.”

“ _Tyki_ ,” Alma said, as if they just heard a revelation from the lips of God. “So _that_ _’s_ his name. Is he really Allen’s secret sugar daddy?”

“ _What?!_ ” Lavi asked, shoulders hunched as he shifted away—a sad bid to physically move away from Alma’s prodding. “Why would you think that?!”

“Why else would he be dating someone older than him?”

“Why do you think they’re dating?!”

“That’s what I heard!” Alma added, their tone growing more heated with each exchange.

“Well, he’s not,” Lavi spat back, flustered at the barrage of questions. “I mean, I don’t think he is.” It wasn’t as if Allen talked much about himself—and he spoke even less of Tyki. His stomach twisted and tied into an unpleasant knot as he thought of the possibility of the rumor being true.

“You’ve gotta know more than that. You’ve been spending a lot of time with him,” Alma added, throwing their arm over the back of the chair as they continued to watch Lavi. “You missed four study sessions with us.”

“Best sessions we had all year,” Kanda mumbled under his breath, already losing interest in the conversation.

Lavi grabbed his books and notes off the table, pushing his chair back as he stood. “You know what? I just remembered I have somewhere else to be.” He headed towards the exit, not looking back when Alma and Lenalee called after him. He walked down the empty hallways towards the main exit, his thoughts scrambled like eggs in his head.

Before he could turn the corner, a voice called to him. “Lavi, wait!” Lenalee hurried to catch up with him.

With a sigh, Lavi turned towards her and frowned, watching as she closed the distance between them. “I really do have to go, Lena.”

“It’s not that,” she said, stopping just next to him with a worried look on her face. “It’s about Allen.”

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Lavi exhaled once more, frustration clear in his voice when he replied. “Not you, too. I already told Alma I didn’t know anything about those weird rumors.”

“No—listen,” she began, pulling Lavi’s hand from his face and making sure their eyes met. “I didn’t want to say anything in front of Alma or Kanda, because I know they would freak out, but you need to be careful around Allen.”

That painful twist in his guts came back. “Why?”

Lenalee licked her lips, eyes pinched with worry as she carefully measured her words before speaking. “He’s trouble, Lavi. I don’t like to speak ill of people or spread rumors, but he has…issues. I’ve seen him in the office with my brother.”

“So? Kanda gets into trouble, too.” Lavi could feel himself growing defensive, an unpleasant anger settling in his clenched jaw. “He got detention this week for talking back to one of the teachers.”

“This is different.” She pulled him closer, voice hushed to keep anyone from overhearing their conversation. “He was kicked out of his last school for getting into fights, stealing, and missing too many classes. The only reason he’s still here is because Komui is too nice. And he makes an exception because of his illness.”

“Illness?” Lavi asked, the anger melting away and turning into something else—something raw and painful in the pit of his stomach. He knew Allen was a thief and a chronic truant student, but fighting and illness? He hadn’t heard of anything like that.

Lenalee pursed her lips and Lavi could tell she was trying to decide how much to divulge to him. Luckily, she spilled more in a whispered tone. “He’s very sick. I don’t know exactly what’s wrong, but it’s the reason why his hair is white and he has those marks on his face and arm.”

Lavi swallowed, letting Lenalee’s words sink in. “So, what are you trying to say? Do you want me to stop talking to him or something?”

Shaking her head, Lenalee tucked a few loose strands of hair behind her ear. “I know you need to work on that project with him. I just want you to be careful, okay? I don’t know what’s going on in his life, but I know he’s a magnet for trouble and you don’t need that kind of distraction in your senior year.”

“Don’t worry, Lena,” he said, giving her the best reassuring smile he could muster. “I’ve got everything under control.”

* * *

“Do you think Lavi was mad at me?”

Kanda glanced over at Alma as they walked down the street. They’d left the library later than normal, the sun already setting as they made their way home. The low, amber light hit Alma’s face just right and Kanda swore they looked like an angel, even with that worried frown on their lips.

“I wouldn’t worry about it. Lavi’s an idiot.”

“Yeah, but he’s also my friend. I don’t want him to be upset with me.” Alma played with the straps on their backpack, feet shuffling low and sliding across the concrete as they walked. “I think I bothered him too much about that Allen thing.”

“You did,” Kanda replied flatly.

“Yuu!” Alma cried, giving him a betrayed look. “You’re not supposed to agree with me so quickly!”

“Well, you did. You shouldn’t gossip so much with those weird people from your classes. It’s probably why he left.” Kanda shrugged, still unbothered by the whole drama. “But the idiot deserved it. He’s been ditching us too much lately.”

“I thought you didn’t like it when he hung out with us?”

“I just like giving him shit,” Kanda said, looking off down the street. “But trust me, he’s not mad at you.”

“Okay,” Alma mumbled, letting out a defeated sigh. They grabbed Kanda’s hand as they walked, threading their fingers together. “If you say so.”

They walked in silence for another block or so, and when Kanda noticed Tiedoll’s house come into view, he tugged gently on Alma’s hand. “Hey. Are you okay to go home tonight?”

Alma looked up, their eyes tight around the edges as they forced a smile on their face. “Yeah.” He heard the strain in their voice and didn’t like how Alma’s hand shook in his. “I’ll be fine. There’s a bowling tournament tonight, so dad will be there until late. Besides, I should go home and clean up. Otherwise, he’ll get mad again.”

Kanda swallowed, not letting go of Alma’s hand, even as they reached his own home. “You can stay with me, you know. Tiedoll doesn’t care, and I—” He paused, cutting himself off with a short stutter, a flush painting his cheeks dark red. “…I like it when you stay over.”

Their smile softened, more genuine than the last. “I know. But really, I can’t stay away _all_ the time. I need to get a change of clothes at some point.”

Reluctantly, Kanda let go of Alma’s hand. “Okay. Text me if you need anything.”

“I will. Don’t worry so much, Yuu.” Alma leaned in and pressed a gentle, chaste kiss on his lips before continuing down the sidewalk. “I’ll see you tomorrow!”

Kanda didn’t reply, watching as Alma turned the corner at the end of the block, then disappeared out of sight. He stood there for a long moment, silently willing the sick feeling in his stomach to go away before heading inside.

He had to trust that Alma could take care of themself.


	5. Truant Students

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone's doing well! I've got another chapter for you all today and it's a fun one. More development between Tyki, Allen, and Lavi, plus a few other fun tidbits. Hope you enjoy it, and as always, please leave me comments and kudos. They really help motivate me to write faster! ;w; 
> 
> **Chapter Warnings**  
> \--Discussions of chronic illness and disabilities  
> \--Gambling  
> \--Theft  
> \--Ditching classes

_Can you feel it?  
_ _I didn_ _’t mean it  
_ _Can I see you?  
_ _What are we doin_ _’?  
_ _I think I love you  
_ _But I ain_ _’t sayin’  
_ _Nothin_ _’ you don’t know_

_Hate This Place  
_ _Goo Goo Dolls_

* * *

It had been a week since Lenalee had talked to Lavi.

He hadn’t mentioned her comments to Allen—how could he? Was there a way to say _‘So, I heard you’re a juvenile delinquent and super sick, too. What’s up with that?’_ without getting punched in the face? He doubted it. But regardless of how uncouth it was to discuss rumors of Allen’s life, especially when they’d only really started to get along for less than a month, Lavi couldn’t stop dwelling on it. He stared at Allen’s face and hair, and wondered more and more why Allen never seemed to wear a short-sleeved shirt, even on warm days. Come to think of it, Lavi had never really seen Allen with his left side uncovered at all—he always wore a glove on his left hand. At least now he understood why Alma was so curious—it was hard not to be when Allen was a complete mystery.

They had less than a week left of their project and spent the late afternoon working on their papers. After school, they had sequestered themselves into Lavi’s room, Lavi typing up his paper as he sat next to Allen on his bed and Allen writing his by hand in a ratty spiral notebook. However, Lavi’s concentration was skewed—less focused on his work and more focused on Allen.

Allen, for his part, didn’t seem to be faring any better. He shifted on Lavi’s bed over and over again, unable to find a comfortable position. Each time he moved, the mattress rocked, and Lavi found himself sinking closer to him. It was then that he noticed Allen’s left hand, how he stretched the limb every few minutes, grimacing as he did so. It was hard to ignore. Allen seemed uncomfortable.

“Hey, are you okay?” Lavi asked, concern lacing his voice. As soon as the question left his mouth, Allen let go of his hand and went back to scribbling in his notebook.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

The curt answer took Lavi by surprise. He nodded and turned back to his laptop, typing away at his paper. A few minutes passed in silence and the only sound between them was the soft click of the keyboard and the scratch of graphite against the paper. Lavi took a slow breath and shifted his thoughts back to his paper. But just as he regained his focus, Allen moved again, rubbing his left arm once more. The fragile concentration Lavi had fought for crumbled like dead leaves in his hands.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Allen?” Lavi asked again, turning to look at him.

“Why do you keep asking me that?” Allen shot him a frustrated glare and continued to rub his forearm, shoulders stiff and body rigid. “I said I was fine.”

“I just—” Lavi bit the inside of his lip, trying to decide how to articulate what he’d been dying to ask since Lenalee had given him her warning a week ago. “I heard that you’re sick. I just wanted to make sure you didn’t need anything.”

Allen’s shoulders stiffened more and he pulled his left arm closer to his chest, as if to hide it from Lavi’s view. He let out a laugh, short, agitated, and mirthless. “Been listening to all the rumors about me?” Lavi caught the defensive tone in his voice immediately. “I suppose you believe them. Everyone else does.”

He’d made a mistake—a big one. Lavi shut his computer, setting it over on the desk before turning to face Allen. “I’m sorry. I…I did hear that you were sick. But—”

“Do you like answering questions about your eye?”

Lavi stopped, Allen’s sudden question cutting off his apology. “I…” He swallowed, a lump lodged in his throat as he fought to find the right words to say. “No. No, I don’t.” Without thinking, he touched the eyepatch on his right eye, the soft, white cotton covering it as it always did. He couldn’t remember a time when he didn’t have to wear it.

Allen looked to Lavi, silver eyes sharp and cold. Lavi hadn’t seen them so hard before. The glare sent his heart tumbling into his stomach. “You want to know the truth? Can’t stand the curiosity anymore?”

“Allen, I—”

Allen cut him off again, uninterested in a response. “I have diabetes. I’ve had it since I was a kid. But it went untreated until a few years ago.” His eyes narrowed and Lavi shrunk back. “Because of the neglect, I have nerve damage all along my left side.”

Lavi didn’t know what to say. He watched Allen, shame painting his face red. They stared at each other until Allen decided he had more to say.

“Does that make you feel better? To know that my arm and my left side are in near constant pain? That it’ll never go away? That I sometimes can’t walk right or grasp things with this hand?”

The air between them grew tense, electric—like the static, hot feeling before lightning struck. Lavi clenched his hands against his knees, tugging at the loose fabric of his jeans. He felt sick, nauseated. He swallowed, mouth too dry and hot. “I fell when I was three.”

Allen stared at him, the tension loosening in his shoulders, likely due more to confusion than anything else. “What?”

“I fell into the corner of a coffee table when I was three,” Lavi clarified, averting his gaze to stare at the messy floor under his feet. “I hit the temple on the right side of my face. I could’ve died—or so Mom and Gramps tell me. But I just lost the use of my eye instead. That’s why I have to wear this eyepatch.”

The silence returned and Lavi hated the sound of it. He didn’t want to look back at Allen, afraid that his little confession wouldn’t ease the pain he’d caused him. He tried to swallow, but found he had no spit. Instead he waited, hands still clenched against his knees.

Then, Allen laughed. Lavi looked up to see him shaking his head and pressing the back of his hand to his forehead. “You were a dumb three year old, weren’t you?”

“Well… I’m eighteen and I’m not feeling so smart now, either.” He managed a stifled grin back at Allen. “Though, to be fair, most three year olds are stupid.”

“Not me. I was brilliant,” Allen said, leaning back against the wall near the bed. “I was already the best scammer on my block by the time I was five. This face could get money from anyone.”

Lavi snickered. “I don’t doubt it.” He stood up, feeling the ache in his back as he stretched out the kinks from sitting too long. “Do you want to get some food? I think Gramps brought home some more frozen pizzas yesterday.”

As always, Allen jumped at the offer of food. “Pepperoni, I hope.” He tossed his notebook on the bed and rushed out of Lavi’s bedroom ahead of him.

“Is there any other kind?”

* * *

_“You know,”_ his mother’s voice began, sounding slightly off as it echoed through his laptop’s subpar speakers, _“Just because you’re living with your grandfather now doesn’t mean you get to keep your room a mess.”_

“I know, Mom,” Lavi replied, grabbing a few dirty shirts from the floor where she could see and dumping them into the laundry basket. He should have known better than to video chat with her until he’d cleaned up a bit. She never could stand his sloppy habits, any more than she could stand Bookman’s. “I promise I’ll clean up after our call.”

_“Good. I don’t want you messing up your grandfather’s house.”_

Lavi snickered, sitting back down at the desk and in view of the camera. “He does a good enough job on his own.”

_“Lavi,”_ she said, the warning in her tone more familiar than he’d like to admit.

“Sorry,” he replied quickly, dropping the subject. “How’s Hong Kong?”

_“Smoggy, as usual.”_ She sighed and pushed back her dark brown hair from her eyes as she grabbed the mug of tea next to her on the desk. _“I’ll be returning to London next week, though the air isn’t much better there, is it?”_

“Nope, not really.” Lavi felt a pang of nostalgia at the mention of their home. He hadn’t seen his mother in almost two months and though she called him at least once a week, he still missed her terribly.

_“How are your classes going?”_

“Good.” He wasn’t about to tell her he was bored out of his skull from them—if he mentioned that, she might request harder courses for him—or worse, pull him out of school entirely and put him back in home school. The only reason he’d agreed to stay with his Grandfather was so he could spend more time with his friends. He wasn’t about to risk that.

_“You say that every week,”_ she added, unconvinced of how ‘good’ his classes really were.

He shrugged, giving her a nonchalant smile. “It’s good every week!”

_“Mhmm,”_ she mumbled, more suspicious than before. However, she didn’t push the topic, taking a sip of tea before speaking again. _“How are you friends? Everyone doing well?”_

“Yeah. Lenalee’s got Yuu and Alma studying with us a lot. I think she’s determined to make sure they pass their math classes with no less than a C.”

_“Oh, I like a determined lady.”_ She laughed to herself before pressing for more. _“I’m glad you’re all working so hard.”_

“You know Lena wouldn’t let us slack.”

_“Have you made any new friends?”_

Lavi paused, the question taking him off guard. “I, uh…” Immediately, he thought of Allen, of the time they’d spent together in the past few weeks. He’d been ambivalent at first, untrusting of his classmate, but as time passed, he’d begun to wonder if they were actually becoming friends? “I think so,” he finally answered, not sounding the least bit sure of himself.

_“You think so?”_ his mother asked back, a half-smile on her face. _“Well, I hope for your sake, you know for sure soon.”_

“Yeah,” Lavi replied, rubbing his nose and smiling up at the petri dishes on his bookshelf. “Me, too.”

* * *

“You can’t help me. I’m hopeless.” Lavi stared down at his charcoal covered hands, then at the mess of what should have been a vase full of flowers. Instead, it was a smudge of black and gray, resembling a dark void filled with despair rather than flowers. Class was almost over and he would have to hand in his assignment one way or another.

Alma chewed on their lip as they looked down at the mess of charcoal. Lavi could see them carefully choosing their words so as not to hurt his feelings. “Well… ‘A’ for effort, right?”

“More like ‘F’ for fucking awful,” Lavi mumbled back, shoving the sheet of paper away from him on the table.

“Go wash your hands before you get that shit everywhere,” Kanda complained, pulling his own paper away from Lavi.

When Lavi peeked over at Kanda’s drawing, he felt twice as bad as before—Kanda had managed an actual picture. Alma, he could understand. They were practically an artistic prodigy. Their art was so beautiful and flawless.

Alma helped him out of his chair so he wouldn’t touch anything and smear the charcoal. Lavi sighed, feeling like a child. “Is this what it’s like for you when you ask me for help on your math homework?”

Snickering, Alma turned on the faucet to the sink and handed Lavi the bar of soap. “Probably. Though I’m at least passing math now.”

Lavi groaned as he soaped up his hands, scrubbing the black from them. “I _think_ I’m passing art class… I mean, Mr. Tiedoll isn’t strict enough to flunk me, right?”

“No, I don’t think so.” Alma paused, wincing as they glanced back at the monstrosity that Lavi had made for today’s class. “I mean, probably not.”

“Super reassuring, Alma.” After his hands were clean, he dried them on a paper towel and resigned himself to his fate. At least art class would end soon and his torture would be over for the day.

“Lavi?” Alma asked as they returned to their seat next to Kanda. “Are you coming to study at the library tonight?”

“Yeah. Of course,” he replied. He avoided looking at the mess he’d made as he joined them back at the table. “I’ve got nothing else to do and I wanted to finish up some reading for class.”

The bell rang and they grabbed their books and bags before handing in their assignments at Tiedoll’s desk. Lavi winced as he set his disaster onto the desk, happy to be rid of it. He dreaded the grade he would get on it, but the worst part would be when Tiedoll gave him a pep talk. No matter how nice the man was, he always made Lavi feel like an idiot when he gave advice on how to improve his art.

Kanda scoffed as they walked. “We have to check if you’re gonna show up or not. Who knows when you’ll be hanging out with that beansprout.”

Lavi stumbled a bit at the accusation as they walked out of the classroom and into the busy hallway. “I—I don’t hang out with him all the time.” He barely had a chance to finish his sentence before a small hand grabbed him by the elbow, yanking him backwards. He almost dropped his books on the floor as he was whirled around, only to find the topic of their conversation standing right behind him. “Allen? I, uh—”

Alma laughed, leaning against Kanda’s shoulder to keep from falling over at the comedic timing. “I think thou doth protest too much.”

Kanda let out a “tch” before pulling Alma along and down the hallway. For once, Lavi was glad of his friend’s taciturn nature. At least he could talk to Allen in private.

Allen, still holding onto Lavi’s arm, pulled him toward the wall and out of the crowd. “I want to do something with you today.” He stared up into Lavi’s good eye, a hint of a smirk on his lips. Even in the harsh fluorescent lighting of the school hallway, the sight made Lavi’s heart skip a beat. He pressed his lips together, looking away to calm his nerves before replying.

“Sure. Did you want to go somewhere after school?”

Allen’s ghost of a smirk turned into a full blown grin at Lavi’s comment. “Not exactly.” He led Lavi down the hallway. “Let’s drop your books off at your locker. You won’t need them.”

Lavi went along, feeling like a lost puppy following its owner as Allen led him around. “But we have Biology next. I think Ms. Kowalski is giving us notes for the test next week.”

Allen didn’t reply as they zigzagged through the hallway, avoiding the other students as they went. When they reached Lavi’s locker on the other end of the building, he waited patiently as Lavi opened it and put his books away. It wasn’t until Lavi closed and secured the locker that he realized Allen was up to something.

“Allen, where are we going? The classroom’s that way. We’re gonna be late.”

The hallway had emptied dramatically, only a minute left until the bell rang for class. Allen leaned in, a smirk on his face as he whispered to Lavi in hushed tones. “Let’s skip class together.”

“What?” Lavi blinked, surprised at the suggestion. He glanced around, making sure no one had heard him. “Allen, we can’t skip class.”

Allen chuckled, amused with Lavi’s apparent distress. “Why not?”

“We could get in trouble.”

“What? Are you the truancy officer now?” Allen wrapped his fingers around Lavi’s wrist, gently tugging him towards the back exit at the end of the hall. “C’mon, Lavi. No one will care. Besides, we could use a break.”

“I…” Lavi trailed off, letting Allen pull him closer to the doors. They were alone in the hallway and the bell was about to ring any second. He swallowed, glancing down at Allen’s hand as he gripped his wrist. Such a platonic touch shouldn’t have felt so nice. “I never skipped class before.”

Allen grinned as he shot a mischievous glance over his shoulder. “Does that mean I get to pop your cherry?”

At that moment, Lavi knew he’d flushed bright red from the tips of his ears to the bottom of his toes. “Why do you have to phrase it like that?”

“Because I like it when you blush.”

Lavi looked away, the comment too much for him. Allen continued to pull him down the hallway until they reached the exit. Sun shone through the window and when he leaned against the glass, he felt the warmth through his sweatshirt. Allen held his wrist, though his grip remained soft and coaxing. Lavi felt his resolve wane.

Then the tardy bell rang and Allen’s grin widened. “We’re late now. What do we got to lose?”

Swallowing down the trepidation crawling up his throat, Lavi sighed. “Okay. But just this once.”

Allen’s grin threatened to split his face in two as he opened the door and pulled Lavi out with him. “I promise you won’t regret it.”

The fresh air hit Lavi’s face as they hurried out of the building, avoiding the windows in hopes that no one would notice them leaving. Allen hadn’t let go of Lavi’s hand, pulling him close as they reached the sidewalk. “Just act natural and pretend like you belong out here.” His earlier shit-eating grin had been replaced with a softer one, more comforting than anything. Lavi wondered if he’d changed tactics just to make him feel better about skipping. “If you act like you belong somewhere, people don’t question you. It’s all about confidence.”

Lavi glanced around anxiously, realizing in the moment that he was doing the _exact opposite_ as what Allen had instructed. “Sorry, I’m just nervous.”

“There’s nothing to be nervous about.” Allen shifted his hand until their palms were touching, threading their fingers together. “We’re going to get some lunch, then we’ll go visit Tyki.”

“O-Okay,” Lavi said, vaguely registering Allen’s words. He was too distracted by Allen’s hand against his, their palms warm against each other in spite of the late October chill in the air. He knew he was still flushed brighter than a cherry tomato, but Allen didn’t comment on it again. As they walked off school grounds and out of sight of the building, Lavi worried less about getting in trouble and more about the pleasant tingle deep in his guts.

Allen had never been this close before, at least not for a prolonged period of time. They’d hung out enough times this month to invade each other’s personal space—a brush of a hand here or an accidental bump of the shoulder there—but this, this hand holding, was deliberate.

And Lavi couldn’t say he hated it.

Two blocks down and eight blocks over was Mel’s Diner, a tiny little restaurant that made its home on a quiet street. Allen let go of Lavi’s hand as he opened the large glass door, motioning for him to follow. Only a few older people were eating at the long countertop at the front of the restaurant, the tacky 50’s themed decorations looking older than the patrons themselves. Allen found a small booth away from the door and sat down, sliding along the uncomfortable seating. Lavi followed after, sitting opposite of Allen.

“Are you sure this is okay?” Lavi whispered across the table, hands nervously gripping the seat under him. He felt as if everyone was watching them, that everyone knew they’d cut classes and were ready to call the school on them. But the other people in the diner had barely glanced at them when they entered and even the waitress only half-heartedly acknowledged their presence.

Allen looked up and smiled, noticing the waitress as she leisurely walked towards their table. “Remember— _confidence_.”

“Hi, there,” the waitress greeted them, pulling out her pad and a pen. “What can I get you both?”

“Um…” Lavi fumbled with the menu on the table. Before he could stutter and make a fool of himself, Allen swooped in and ordered for him.

“Two cheeseburgers and fries,” Allen said with ease, not even looking at the menu.

The waitress didn’t bat an eye as she wrote down the order. “Anything to drink?”

“Vanilla shake,” Allen answered, then looked to Lavi, raising his eyebrows slightly.

Shaking his nervousness off as best he could, Lavi set the menu down. “Coffee, black.”

“Coming right up, hun,” the waitress replied, her tone dull and void of emotions, as if she’d rather be anywhere but working in that dingy little diner.

With the lack of questioning or notice, Lavi’s anxiety over ditching school eased. The waitress returned shortly with a lukewarm cup of coffee and Allen’s milkshake before disappearing again without a word. Allen jumped on the tall, frosted glass as soon as it hit the table, sucking down a mouthful of the shake before Lavi could even touch his coffee mug.

Lavi smiled, hiding it behind his mug as he took a sip. “You’ve been here before, I take it?”

“Of course.” Allen took another long sip from the thick straw before relaxing back against the hard bench seat. “No one bothers you here—plus the food is cheap.”

“I see.” Lavi drank more of the bitter coffee. Even his uncultured palate could tell the beans were cheap, but the warmth felt nice after the long walk in the cold. He didn’t know how Allen could stand to suck down a milkshake like that, as if it were the middle of summer. He shivered just watching him. “Are we meeting Tyki here?”

Allen snickered as he pulled out his phone from his jeans pocket. “No—he’s busy at the moment. We’ll meet up with him elsewhere.” He typed up a quick message and pressed send before setting the phone aside. Lavi guessed he’d sent a message to Tyki, but he couldn’t be sure.

“And where exactly is _elsewhere_?”

“It’s a surprise,” he said, grabbing his shake again.

Sighing, Lavi set his mug back down on the table, cupping his hands around the warm ceramic. “I’m starting to think I should’ve stayed back at the school.”

“You worry too much, Lavi,” Allen said, stirring his shake with the straw. “You need to loosen up a little. Have some fun.”

“I have plenty of fun.” Lavi sipped his coffee again, looking out the window at the cars passing by.

“Yeah? What’s the last fun thing you did?”

“I read _The Divine Comedy_ last night.”

Allen snorted in his milkshake, splattering some of it back in his face. He wiped it off with the back of his sleeve and laughed out loud. “That’s not fun! That’s homework.”

“It wasn’t for a class.”

“You are such a fucking nerd.” Allen shook his head and sighed as his fit of laughter teetered out. “You really _do_ need to get out more. Don’t worry. I’ll save you from a life of boredom.”

“I don’t need saving—thanks.”

Allen didn’t reply, smiling to himself as he took another long gulp of his milkshake. The glass was already half drained and Lavi had only managed a few sips of his coffee. He let the conversation lie there, not wanting to argue with Allen on his nerdy status, or lack-thereof. He knew it was a losing battle, though part of him felt a bit sad that Allen thought his hobbies were bland. It only reminded him how little they had in common and he wondered exactly why Allen wanted to spend time with him.

Allen had finished his milkshake by the time the food arrived. The waitress slid identical plates in front of them, two mundane cheeseburgers and a pile of greasy fries on the side. Allen dug in without prompting, while Lavi slowly worked on his food. The burger was a little dry and the fries not quite crisp, but overall it wasn’t a bad meal. He’d had worse.

The phone sitting on the table buzzed and Allen quickly read the message flashing across the screen as he popped a few more fries into his mouth. He hummed, interest in his voice as he typed up a reply. “Tyki’s expecting us.”

Lavi paused, the burger halfway to his mouth. “Oh? And where exactly is it he’s expecting us to be?” he asked, hoping to pry the location out of Allen through sheer stubbornness.

Allen returned to his meal, taking a big bite out of his hamburger. “You’ll just have to wait and see,” he replied with his mouthful.

Sighing, Lavi went back to his meal. He had a bad feeling about this.

* * *

“Nope. Nu-uh. No way.” Lavi shook his head vehemently, as if doing so would allow him to shake himself free of every bad decision he’d made up until that point, wiping the slate clean and giving him a fresh start. “There’s no way I’m going in there.”

“Lavi, you’re overreacting.” Allen held onto the sleeve of the redhead’s sweatshirt, keeping him from bolting back to class and forgetting this day ever happened. He could still make seventh and eighth period if he ran the whole way back to school. “It’s just a bar. Besides, Tyki’s friends own it. It’s safe.”

Lavi looked up at the grimy, old building, panic welling in his chest. Skipping class was one thing, but going to a bar was completely different. “Allen, neither of us are allowed to drink. We’re too young.” They’d walked nearly ten blocks to get to the downtown location. Restaurants, bars, and stores alike lined the street, but at midday, the sidewalks and streets weren’t too busy.

“We’re not going to drink,” Allen assured him. He looked up at Lavi, calm and unbothered. “We’re here to play poker.”

“What?” Lavi ran his free hand over his face, trying to figure out what the hell he’d managed to stumble into. “Why would we do that _here_? We—I don’t even know how to play poker!”

“Trust me. You don’t need to know how to play.” Allen tugged on Lavi’s sweatshirt sleeve again, still not letting go. “You can’t tell me you’re not curious.”

“Curiosity killed the cat,” Lavi said, glaring up at the faded sign above the door that read _Momo & Clark_ _’s_. His trepidation doubled.

“But satisfaction brought it back,” Allen finished with a grin.

Lavi sighed, unhappy that Allen knew the end of the rhyme. He stared up at the bar for another long moment, then down at Allen. As bad of an idea as it was, he already felt his resolve breaking. “…How long will we stay?”

“Two hours, tops.”

“And no drinking?”

“None.”

“Just poker?”

Allen snickered. “What is this? An inquisition? Do you want to come in or not?”

Lavi swallowed, his throat tight and dry. He knew he shouldn’t do it, that the best course of action now was to walk his sorry ass home and hope that the school hadn’t called Gramps to inquire about missing his afternoon classes. But the way Allen smiled up at him, as if he were the only person in the entire world, was charming—too charming for his own good. He sighed, broken. “Okay. Just for two hours. No more, got it?”

“Got it.” Allen pulled him along as they headed toward the front door. “Now, just play along with whatever I say, okay?”

The nervousness returned to Lavi’s guts, clenching them in a stranglehold as he stared at the filthy, old door. “Okay.”

“And remember— _confidence_.”

“Right.”

The door opened as Allen turned the brass handle and Lavi was cast into darkness. The windows of the bar were tinted, whether purposefully or due to years of smoke and grime buildup, he wasn’t sure. But as the door shut and the natural light faded, the dingy interior came into view. Faded lights hung from the ceiling, the lampshades covered in years of dust. The bartop stood on the left side of the small building, shelves lined with liquor bottles along the back wall. The rest of the bar was filled with small tables scattered around the room without rhyme or reason and in the back was a pool table, the green felt dull and lifeless. There were only a few patrons in the bar. When Lavi’s eye adjusted, he recognized one of the faces at the table in the far back corner—Tyki.

No one looked their way as they walked to the back of the room, Allen ahead of Lavi. There were two other men at the small table with Tyki, cards and cash strewn over the sticky wood. Lavi tried to mimic Allen’s stress-free stride, but only managed to trip on a loose floorboard as they reached the table. He fell into Allen’s back, but righted himself as the men looked up. A drop of sweat rolled down the back of his neck as he gave them all what he hoped was a confident grin.

_God_ , he had made so many bad choices today…

“Well,” Tyki said, folding the cards in one hand and leaning against the other, elbow propped up on the bar. He pulled the cigarette from his mouth and set it in the ashtray next to a modest pile of winnings. “Looks like we have some new players.”

“Just me,” Allen said, taking the last seat at the table. “If you’ll have me.”

“I suppose we could use some fresh blood.” Tyki smiled, teeth glowing white in the dim light of the bar, and took another drag from his cigarette. The men finished their hand, one of the strangers winning the pot, and Lavi grabbed a free chair from one of the many empty tables surrounding them, sitting next to Allen and not knowing what the hell he was doing there. He looked at Tyki, his eyebrows pinched in confusion as he watched him shuffle the deck and deal out the next hand. Tyki hadn’t acknowledged that he knew either of them and neither had Allen. The worrisome feeling in his guts grew as he tried his best to look relaxed. At least no one had questioned if they were too young to be there or not.

Lavi watched, as it was the only thing he could do. Quietly, he listened to them call out their hands at the end of each round and watched the cards being dealt over and over again. Though he hadn’t played the game before, after only thirty minutes, he’d figured out the gist of it.

But what he couldn’t figure out was what Allen and Tyki were up to.

While Lavi couldn’t see Tyki’s hand from where he was sitting, it looked as if Allen deliberately threw his hands in the first hour of the game, to the point where he had lost more than half the money he’d come in with. Tyki, it seemed, had done the same, though he’d lost a few less hands that Allen had. However, after the hour mark, the game changed completely.

“Oh, wow! I finally won one!” Allen exclaimed, laying out his cards on the table with a flourish. Even after only knowing Allen for little less than two months, Lavi heard the fake excitement in his voice immediately.

“Beginner’s lucky finally kicking in? Let’s double the wager, eh?” Tyki suggested, anteing up his own money as soon as Allen had taken his winnings from that round.

“I’m game,” he replied earnestly, almost childishly, and the other two players threw in their money as well.

Allen won again. And again. _And again_.

And by the time two hours had passed, Lavi knew for sure Allen and Tyki were _cheating_. He couldn’t quite tell exactly what they were doing, if they’d hid cards on themselves or if the deck was rigged, but there was no way they could’ve won so much in so little time on pure skills or luck alone.

Grabbing up his winnings as the other men grumbled, Allen smiled warmly. “This was fun. I’ll have to join you guys again some time.”

Not waiting for a reply, he pulled Lavi from the bar and back out into the chilly air. As soon as the door closed, Allen chuckled to himself and headed up the street. “That was too easy.”

“Tell me the truth,” Lavi said, matching step with Allen’s quick pace. “You were cheating those guys, weren’t you?”

“Can’t pull one over on you, can I?” Allen glanced behind him for a quick second before turning at the end of the block. “Yes, Lavi. Tyki and I were pulling our usual ruse.”

The pieces of the puzzle were slowly clicking together. Lavi sighed heavily as Allen continued to hurry him up another block, zigzagging their way through downtown. “So, this is something you both do frequently? Hustle people while playing poker?”

“Sometimes other games. Tyki’s really good at pool.”

“Great. Just great.” Lavi shook his head, resting his free hand over his face as he tried to calm his nerves. “I’m an accomplice now.”

“I’d hardly call you an accomplice.”

When he pulled his hand from his face, he realized they’d already hurried down three separate blocks and onto a fourth. “Where are you taking me now? Are you going to hold up a bank next?”

“Bank robbery isn’t exactly in my repertoire, but I could try if you wanted.”

“Please, no.”

Allen laughed, grinning up at Lavi as they walked. “Thought not. Anyway, we’re headed to a coffee shop to wait for Tyki. And I’m taking a roundabout way just in case those guys get the idea to follow us and get their money back.”

The thought of being chased down by those rough looking men from the bar sent a shot of fear through Lavi. He turned then, checking to make sure no one had followed them, and leaned in closer to Allen without thinking. “D-Do you really think they’ll do that?”

“No, not them. It’s happened to me a few times before, though. Tyki will text me if something happens. Don’t worry. I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”

The sentiment made Lavi blush and though he knew he should be pissed at Allen for all the hell he’d been through that afternoon, he couldn’t help but smile. “Well, good to know you’re not going to leave me in a ditch somewhere if things go south.”

“Never,” Allen replied, a softness to his voice that Lavi hadn’t heard before. As Lavi fumbled for something to say in return, Allen stopped them in front of a coffee shop—a little local cafe named _Beaners_. “Let’s go in. Tyki should be here soon.”

Stepping into the shop felt like crossing a gateway into another world, a softer one than where Lavi had been stuck for the past couple hours. The air smelled like coffee and vanilla, and the warmth brought heat back into his cold stiff fingers. Allen bumped his shoulder and motioned towards the front counter.

“Want something? I’m buying.”

Lavi snorted, covering his laugh with a hand. “Considering your sudden windfall, I would hope so. And yeah. I’ll take a large coffee, black.”

“How do you manage without sugar and cream?” Allen asked, as they waited in line. The shop wasn’t too busy and Lavi doubted it would take long to get their order in.

“Coffee is just a delivery device for caffeine at this point.”

“You sound like a bitter, old business man. Or an overworked housewife.”

“Maybe both?” Lavi offered with an amused grin.

They reached the front of the line and Allen ordered for them—a large black coffee for Lavi, a large hot chocolate for himself, and chai latte for Tyki. Once the order was in place, they moved to the end of the counter and waited for their drinks to be made. Allen leaned against the wall, pulling out his phone and quickly scrolling through his texts. A little smirk slipped onto his lips before he tucked the phone back into his pocket.

“Tyki’s on his way.”

“And he’s not being chased by blood-thirsty poker players who want their money back?”

“Not this time.”

“Good. I wasn’t planning on getting murdered today.” The barista gave Lavi an odd look as she set the drinks on the counter, catching the tail end of their conversation. He sighed as he took his coffee, silently wondering when this dreadful day would end.

Allen grabbed the other two cups and looked towards the large storefront windows. He grinned. “Just in time. Our ride’s here.”

Lavi’s gaze shifted to the window. Tyki’s car was parked right on the curb. Without a word, Allen took the two steaming cups and headed outside. Lavi followed him, as he’d done all day today, and took a sip of coffee. The warm liquid burned his tongue, but he drank it down, the heat settling in his stomach as they headed back out into the brisk air. Allen hopped into the front seat, as always, and Lavi slid into the back.

“Did you squeeze anymore out of those suckers?” Allen asked, handing Tyki his latte.

“Not much. They were mostly cleaned out, anyway.” Tyki took the warm paper cup, fingers curling around Allen’s longer than needed before he finally pulled away.

The lingering touch reminded Lavi of how Allen had held his hand earlier and he flushed, looking away from the soft contact. Maybe he’d thought too much of it in the moment. Maybe Allen wasn’t the type of person to hold back on physical contact with friends.

“Pity.” Allen settled back into his seat, head turned to the side to watch Tyki take the first sip of his coffee. “Does that mean I win today?”

Tyki chuckled, setting his cup in the holder of the center console. He shifted the car in drive and hit the gas, the smooth smile never leaving his face. “That depends. How much did you take from them?”

Allen pulled the wads of cash from his pockets, the untidy bills falling into his lap. He sorted them, separating each bill with its like worth and arranging them into a neat stack. “Mmm, looks to be about two hundred dollars.”

“A small haul, but better than nothing.”

“Two hundred in two hours isn’t bad.” Allen shoved the money back in his pockets, splitting it out between them. “So? Did I _win_?”

Tyki licked his lips, eyes still focused on the road. “You did,” he replied, voice as thick as honey. “I hope you enjoy your prize tonight.”

Allen rested his elbow on the center console, staring up at Tyki with hungry eyes—something Lavi had never seen before. “I kind of want it now.”

Laughing, Tyki grabbed his chai, taking another long sip and drawing out the silence before his response. After setting his cup down again, he ran his fingers through Allen’s hair, sliding over the top of his head and pushing some of the loose strands behind his ear. He drew his fingers along Allen’s jaw before turning his full attention back to driving. “That can be arranged.” His eyes glanced up at Lavi through the rear view mirror. “But what about Red?”

Lavi looked up, recognizing the nickname immediately. He’d tried to ignore that blatant display of affection, but it was hard in the confined space of Tyki’s car. He didn’t say a word, too busy replaying that soft touch between the two of them in his mind over and over again. He’d heard rumors that Allen was dating Tyki, but he’d never put any stock into them until that moment. The way Tyki had touched him was… too intimate.

And Lavi began to suspect that the ‘prize’ Allen had won wasn’t as innocent as it sounded.

Allen turned in his seat, silver eyes focusing on Lavi. He had that same soft smile on his face that he’d worn whenever he’d looked at Lavi. The sight left the redhead’s heart aching. “Lavi,” he began, his name sounding too nice rolling off his tongue. “Did you want Tyki to drop you off at your house?”

There was an unasked question hidden in Allen’s words, one that left blood pounding in Lavi’s ears. Did he want to go home or did he want to stay with Tyki and Allen? All day, he’d wanted nothing more than to go home and avoid the trouble Allen had dragged him into. And though no real harm had been done, he’d been annoyed with Allen’s persistence. But now, Allen was giving him a way out—something to avoid whatever was going to happen next. But now, he wasn’t sure if he wanted to keep running from it anymore.

“I—” Lavi began, hands tight around his coffee, the hot paper burning his palms. He swallowed and fear won out. “Yeah. I’d like to go home.”

Allen nodded, his smile never wavering. “Okay.” He sat back in his seat properly, facing forward again. “Let’s take our redhead home, Tyki.”

“You got it.”

Lavi sunk back in his seat, nursing his coffee and staring out the window. Even though he regretted his decision to duck out of whatever activities they had planned, Allen’s final comment struck Lavi hard, and he hid the faint smile behind the lip of his cup.

When had he become _theirs_?


	6. Wet Dream

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***Chapter Content Warnings: ***  
> \--Sexual Content; Masturbation
> 
> I APOLOGIZE!!!
> 
> I know you've all been waiting for a while for new chapter. (A month, oh my god, has it been a month?!) I had plans to post this chapter prior to July, which is a busy month for me. I always participate in Camp NaNoWriMo so I can focus on writing. Once I started, it was hard to find time to write AND edit chapters to get them posted. 
> 
> However, I mightily failed my writing goal (but still got some chapters written). Since I failed, I figured I would just hurry up and get you this chapter before I'm officially kicked out of the fandom. XD
> 
> This is a fave chapter of mine, so I hope you all enjoy it! Comments and Kudos greatly appreciated! ;w;

_What I would give to have you look in my direction  
_ _And I_ _’d give my life to somehow attract your attention  
_ _And I touch myself like it_ _’s somebody else  
_ _Thoughts of you are tattooed on my mind  
_ _Let me show you_

_Can_ _’t Stop  
_ _Maroon 5_

* * *

_“Lavi.”_

_He sighed, a pleasant pressure on his thighs—firm, yet soft. Allen leaned in, breath hot against Lavi_ _’s face. Too hot. Hands slid down his chest, gentle and teasing as he fumbled with the front of his pants. “Allen, you—”_

_“Shh,” Allen whispered back, lips ghosting over Lavi’s as he spoke. “Let me do this for you.”_

_Lavi watched as Allen crawled down the length of his body, settling back on his thighs as he slowly—ever so slowly—unzipped his pants and pulled Lavi_ _’s cock free from the confines of his jeans and boxers. Lavi held his breath as he watched Allen’s finger run up the underside of his stiff shaft. He trembled, biting his lip to keep from moaning._

_Allen leaned down, pink lips parted as he took Lavi into his mouth. He slid down the shaft, mouth wet and hot, until his nose buried into the coarse hairs at the base of the shaft. Lavi felt his dick hit the back of Allen_ _’s throat and whimpered at the perfect heat encompassing him._

_When Lavi thought it couldn_ _’t get any better than this, Allen pulled up, lips sliding along Lavi’s shaft until he only had the tip in his mouth, then bobbed back down again, taking him all in. Allen repeated the motion again and again, bobbing his head and sucking Lavi off with timed, precise movements._

_Lavi panted, chest rising and falling as the knot of desire tightened in his stomach. He watched Allen pleasure him, white hair curling around his chin as he worked his mouth over stiff flesh. No artist could paint a more beautiful picture than how Allen looked in that moment._

_“Allen—” he started, cutting himself off with a moan. “Al, please. I’m so close.”_

_Just as he was about to cum, his phone began ringing, the sound cutting through the mood like an airhorn. He groaned, reaching up and fumbling for the offending object, but unable to grab it. Allen hadn_ _’t stopped sucking him down, even as he struggled to cease that annoying ringing—that beeping—_

With a groan, Lavi opened his eye, alarm blaring next to his ear. As he regained focus in the dim light of the room, he noticed three things: his alarm was more frustrating than normal, he was alone in his bedroom, and he’d never had a worst case of morning wood.

“Fuck me,” Lavi grumbled as he struggled to untangle himself from the bedsheets. When he was free enough to turn around, he grabbed his alarm and shut it off with a loud _thwack_ before tossing the offending object onto the floor. Flopping back onto the mattress, he stared up at the ceiling and sighed.

This was _bad_.

He was no stranger to erotic dreams. Lavi had imagined all sorts of people in them—men and women, real and imaginary. But he’d never dreamed of one of his friends before. It left a sick feeling in his stomach, sick but delightful. Dirty, almost. Anyone would have to be a fool to not notice how beautiful Allen was, even with the scarring on his face. It was no wonder he’d dreamed about him. The hardness pressed up against his boxers was proof enough of that.

Swallowing thickly, Lavi sighed and slid a hand down against his clothed erection. This was wrong. He closed his eye and bit the inside of his lip. He wanted to finish what the dream had started, but… it felt so wrong to masturbate to the thought of his friend—like a betrayal, like he was some creep who was getting off on stolen nudes. And to top off his awful feelings, Allen wasn’t single. After his last escapade with Allen, involving skipping class and hustling people at a bar, Lavi was certain that he and Tyki were involved in some way. He still hadn’t quite come to terms with that little nugget of information.

However, right or wrong, he was still stuck between a rock and, _well_ , a hard place.

Glancing down at the clock he’d thrown not five minutes ago, he checked how much time he had left. School started in forty-five minutes. The walk would take at least twenty. Factoring in time to dress and attempt to tame his hair into a more manageable mess, that left him enough time to either take care of his little problem or hope it went away while he made breakfast. His fingers grazed over the taut fabric stretching over his dick again, a shot of pleasure rolling through his belly.

Yeah, he could skip breakfast today.

He pushed his boxers down his thighs, cock springing free and rubbing against the cotton of his sheets. Precum smeared over the fabric and Lavi felt his balls tighten with the first stroke of his hand. He sighed, tension melting from his neck and shoulders as that first wave of pleasure washed over him. He whined, the sound catching in the back of his throat as he repeated the action, sliding his hand back down the shaft. He had to keep his noises down, knowing how well sound would carry in this house if he wasn’t careful. And he was sure Bookman wasn’t still asleep—the old man usually woke up before Lavi did, no matter the day.

He continued pumping his cock, running his thumb over his slick tip with each upward stroke. The dream had him so worked up that he already felt that strong pull low in his stomach, the ache in his body that craved completion. Turning to his side, he pressed his face into the pillow and let out a long, soft moan, wrist working faster as his fingers slid along sensitive skin. As his eye closed, he recalled the dream—Allen’s lips against his own, the look in his silver eyes as he went down on him, the feel of his mouth around Lavi’s cock.

Guilt hung heavy in Lavi’s heart, but he could ignore it as lust and desire shot through his veins and begged him continue. He let his thoughts linger on that dream, on Allen, and with his teeth clenched tight around the corner of his pillow, Lavi came. The white spilled into his hand, oozing through his fingers as he milked the last of it from his body. Letting out a shuddered breath, he relaxed against the sheets, body spent and exhausted from his orgasm. After giving himself a moment to catch his breath, he fumbled for something to wipe up the mess, grabbing a dirty shirt from the floor and cleaning the offending substance off his hands and stomach. As the dark fabric of his shirt stained from his spilled seed, the guilt returned tenfold, and his cheeks flushed anew—hot with embarrassment.

He didn’t know how he would be able to look Allen in the eye after this.

* * *

Of all the days for Allen not to skip class, it had to be today.

Lavi spent the entire class attempting to not look at Allen, a light flush creeping up his neck and ears. As much as he tried to forget last night’s dream and his subsequent descent into self-pleasure, the images his mind had conjured up during his restless night haunted him even in the waking hours. He still felt guilty for acting on them and seeing Allen only made his guts twist uncomfortably.

Biology took too long to finish as Lavi watched the clock tick each second by. Seconds felt like minutes, minutes like hours. By the time the lunch bell rang, he had his books in hand and was rushing out the door.

Of course, escape was never easy.

A familiar tug on his arm spoiled any plans to avoid talking to the star of his erotic dreams. Lavi bit the inside of his lip and held his books a little tighter to his body, the corners digging into his ribs uncomfortably—anything to keep from thinking about that delicious dream.

“What’s the rush? You trying to avoid me or something?” Perceptive as ever, Allen smirked up at Lavi, though his eyes held an uncertainty, a hesitation.

“No, I just promised to meet up with my friends early for lunch.” Not a total lie, but not the whole truth either. He knew if he lingered too long after class, Alma and Kanda would tease him about spending all his time with Allen—which would only lead to Lenalee worrying.

“Good, because I only came to class today to talk with you.”

In spite of his distracting thoughts, Lavi laughed and leaned against the wall. “You know, you might try coming to class to _learn_ something for once?”

“Sounds boring,” Allen replied, still grinning. “But I wanted to make sure you had everything ready for the science fair.”

“Oh? An actual school related question. I’m shocked.” He gave Allen a half-smile, more amused than anything else.

Allen rolled his eyes. “The fair is tonight, you know.”

“I’m well aware.”

“And?”

“Don’t worry,” Lavi assured him, shifting his books from one arm to the other. “I have the presentation all ready and I even proofread your paper. Everything is in my locker.”

“Damn. If you make it look too good, they’ll think I cheated.”

“I watched you write the whole thing myself. I’ll vouch for you.”

“Thanks.” Allen looked away for a moment and Lavi swore he saw something flash behind his silver eyes, but before he could figure out what it was, the same smartass look was back on his face. “Hey, give me your phone.”

Lavi raised an eyebrow, immediately suspicious. “Why? You gonna steal it?”

“Lavi, just give it to me.”

Digging into his back pocket, Lavi fished out his phone. After unlocking it, he handed it to Allen, still unsure as to what his classmate was up to.

Allen took the phone and opened a fresh text message. After typing an unfamiliar number into the recipient field, he wrote a quick text and pressed send. When he gave the phone back to him, Lavi looked at the message and sighed. Allen had drawn an ass out of text symbols.

“Clever. Whose number is this?”

“Mine,” Allen said with a shrug. He tried to be nonchalant, but Lavi could tell he was nervous. He’d never really seen Allen nervous before. “I might be late to the fair tonight, so…at least I can text you now. Just in case.”

“Thanks,” Lavi said, looking back down at the number. Without hesitation, he added Allen’s number in his contacts. “And if you’re late, I’ll just make up a good excuse for Ms. Kowalski.”

Allen tugged at the glove covering his left hand, avoiding eye contact with Lavi. “I think she’s heard enough of my excuses. She’ll never believe it.”

“I’ll just tell her you got arrested.”

He laughed and pushed the hair back from the face. “Touché.” He brushed past Lavi, heading for the front exit. “See you tonight.”

Lavi watched as he left the building. He couldn’t see once the door had closed, but Lavi was certain Tyki was outside waiting for him. The thought sent another pang of guilt into Lavi’s stomach as he recalled the events of this morning. Clutching his books tighter in his hands, he hurried to his locker to grab his lunch.

He had to stop thinking about it. He _had_ to.

* * *

As he’d expected, their science project earned them an A.

Lavi walked with Allen out of the school, watching as his science partner nearly jumped up and down with excitement. He couldn’t help but smile as Allen celebrated their grade.

“I’ve never gotten an ‘A’ before,” Allen said, admiring the big red letter on the front of his report. “I could get used to this.”

Lavi looked down the sidewalk, not seeing any cars parked and waiting. He’d expected to find Tyki here waiting for Allen, like he usually did, but it seemed they were both walking tonight. “You know, I could… help you get better grades. If you wanted.”

“You mean like… actual studying?” Allen asked, his jovial face turning sour. “Hard pass.”

Lavi shrugged, expecting that response. “C’mon, at least give it a try? My friends have study nights at the library after school two to three times a week. If you wanted, you could join us.”

Allen rolled his paper up into a tube before stuffing it into the back pocket of his jeans. He looked up at Lavi, skeptical. “That’s probably not a good idea.”

“Why not?”

They stopped at the corner of the block, just under one of the street lamps. The sun had set less than an hour ago and the light cast a dull yellow glow over Allen’s hair as he turned back to Lavi. “I don’t think your friends like me.”

The comment struck Lavi hard, like a boulder to his chest. His lips twitched into a frown, hands tucked into his coat pockets. “How do you know that?”

Allen laughed, though there was no mirth in it. “No one does.”

“That’s not true,” Lavi said. Without thinking, he blurted out more than he’d meant to. “I like you.”

It was a confession of sorts, not meant to be anything more than friendly. Platonic. But as the words left Lavi’s lips, he felt the weight of them, heavy and solid, as if they meant more than what was written on the surface—

As if those words hid more than he could admit to even himself.

Allen watched him, silver eyes glowing like two pale moons in the dark. He gave Lavi a soft smile, one that didn’t quite meet his eyes. “Do you?”

Swallowing against the lump in his throat, Lavi nodded. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”

Allen chewed on his lower lip as he stared up at Lavi, no words passing between them after that. That quiet, complacent silence cut into Lavi’s gut like a knife. He didn’t know what to say—what to do.

Finally, Allen sighed and brushed back the hair from his face. “…Do you really want me to go?”

Lavi nodded, the tension his his stomach easing slightly. “Yeah. And I promise my friends are nice.”

“Hmm, I suppose they have to be,” Allen started, the familiar smirk slipping onto his face again, “to deal with you everyday.”

With a sigh, Lavi crossed his arms and continued down the street. “Are you really going to make fun of the person who’s going to help you pass your classes.”

Allen hurried after him, his smirk growing. “Of course. Isn’t that in the high school rulebook, or whatever? Always make fun of nerds?”

“I’m sure there’s something in there about not _stealing_ , either,” Lavi added, side-eyeing Allen.

“Wouldn’t know. Never saw that one.”

“Of course you didn’t.”

Allen elbowed him in the side before grabbing his arm and dragging him off course and towards main street. “Hey, I’m starving. Let’s go get something to eat.”

With a sigh, Lavi followed after. “Okay, but you’re buying.”

* * *

Alma hummed to themselves as they stretched out on Kanda’s bed, scribbling away on the sketchpad in front of them. They’d been practicing most of the night, dabbling with a few new techniques they’d seen online while Kanda occupied his time with a game. Alma hadn’t paid attention to which game it was, only that they heard an obnoxious amount of gunfire coming through the computer speakers and Kanda cursed more than he usually did during gameplay.

“Fuck,” Kanda snapped particularly loud. Alma jumped, their pencil scraping along the paper and messing up their work. They sighed and sat up.

“Yuu, please not so loud?” they asked, unease in their voice.

Kanda picked up on their tone immediately, relaxing his shoulders and letting out a heavy breath. “Sorry.” He continued with his game, clicking and tapping on the keyboard and Alma felt the tension ease from their body. They didn’t like yelling.

As Alma put their pencil to paper again, they heard their phone buzzing somewhere in the folds of blankets under them. They searched around, having to jump out of the bed to unearth the device. When they looked at the screen, they smiled. “Lavi texted the group chat.”

“Don’t care,” Kanda said, his voice dull as he continued to tap away at his keyboard. Kanda rarely looked at his phone and had it on silent constantly. Everyone had given up messaging and calling him, except for Alma and Tiedoll.

Alma hopped back into bed as they opened the message. Their eyes widened and they reread it, just to make sure they weren’t seeing things. “Yuu—Lavi says he’s bringing Allen to our group study session tomorrow.”

“Called it,” Kanda said, muttering another curse accompanied by panicked clicking.

Alma giggled and shook their head, typing up a quick reply.

_Alma 09:55PM—_ Yay! That’ll be fun!

They set their phone back down, thoroughly distracted from their drawing. Standing up, they stretched their arms over their head, letting out a soft whine before padding over to Kanda’s desk. With a sigh, they wrapped both arms around Kanda’s neck, hugging him loosely as they watched the computer screen, uninterested in the game. “Yuu? Why do you think he’s inviting Allen to study group now?”

“Because he’s got a giant boner for him, that’s why.” Kanda didn’t look away from the game, still clicking away angrily on keyboard.

Alma blinked at the answer, tilting their head to the side. “You think so? He always seemed like he didn’t want to be around Allen—he said as much when they got paired up for that science project.”

Kanda groaned as the words YOU LOSE flashed in red on the screen. He snapped the laptop shut, clearly frustrated with the game. “That idiot has the emotional intelligence of a gnat.” He stood, getting away from his desk and crawling into bed. Alma followed after him. It was late and they needed to sleep. Their 7:00AM wakeup call would come too soon. Laying on his back, Kanda picked up Alma’s sketchbook and began to leaf through it.

Alma settled in next to him, stretching out on their side as they watched Kanda admire their art. “Lavi’s not stupid.”

“No, he’s smart. But not emotionally.” Kanda paused on a drawing of him that he hadn’t seen before, lips quirking up into a half-smile. “He’s fine when it comes to friendships, but if it’s anything more than that, he clams up. It’s hilarious.”

“ _Yuu_ ,” Alma whined, frowning as they curled an arm around his waist. “That’s not nice. We should probably help him out if he really likes Allen.”

“I’m not getting involved in that mess—and neither should you.” Kanda turned to look at Alma, eyes narrowed in a serious gaze. “Don’t try to play matchmaker. Just let them figure their own shit out.”

Alma lowered their eyes, lips pursed as they stared at the folds of blankets between them. “You’re no fun.”

Kanda let out a breath through his nose and turned on his side to face Alma, their faces only inches apart. That annoyed wrinkle between his eyes was still present, but Alma could feel the shift in mood almost instantly. “I can be fun.”

Their lips twitched up as they tried to hold back a smile, fingers curling into the bedding between them. “Yeah? Prove it.”

Without missing a beat, Kanda leaned in and pressed his lips onto Alma’s. Alma had expected it, especially after egging him on, but satisfaction hummed through their body nonetheless. They slid their hand across Kanda’s cheek and into his hair, carding fingers through silky strands. Alma had always been jealous of Kanda’s long hair, how soft and beautiful it was—even without proper care. They were lucky enough to have hair touching their chin. The last time they tried to grow their hair out, their father had buzzed it off.

Alma stiffened at the memory, unhappy how it came to their mind unbidden. Hoping to push it back and out of their thoughts, they deepened the kiss, slipping their tongue into Kanda’s mouth and whining softy in the hopes of urging their boyfriend on.

Kanda took the hint. Their lips broke apart for a quick moment as he shifted his weight, pressing his knee between Alma’s legs and half-pinning them to the bed. He kissed them again, cupping Alma’s cheek and gently caressing them with his thumb.

“Yuu,” Alma whispered against his lips, gently arching their back and pressing up into Kanda’s body. They felt the beginnings of arousal pressed against the front of Kanda’s sweatpants and hummed excitedly at the prospect of pushing this further.

Kanda kissed along Alma’s jaw, slowly moving down to their neck. His hot breath and soft touch left goosebumps on Alma’s skin, and they could barely keep from squirming under him. “Alma?” he asked, voice husky, still kissing and gently grinding against them.

“Mm?” Alma mumbled back before sucking in a quick gasp as Kanda hit that tender spot on their neck.

“Tell me,” he whispered, still working his way over Alma’s skin. His hand smoothed up Alma’s shirt, teasing their stomach. “Is this fun?”

“Yes,” Alma mumbled, burying their hands in his hair. “Yes, it is.”

After hearing their answer, Kanda sat up, ceasing all contact. The sudden rush of cool air against their flushed skin shocked them. Alma looked up at Kanda, confusion in their eyes. “Yuu? Why did you stop?”

He smirked, the barely perceivable uptick of his lips gracing his otherwise deadpan face. “I was just proving I could be _fun_.”

Alma scoffed and reached behind their head to grab a pillow. “You ass!” they shouted, a grin on their face as they smacked Kanda with the pillow.

Kanda’s smirk grew and he retaliated, tossing the pillow back into Alma’s face. He straddled their legs as they fought. Alma grabbed the other pillow on the bed and hit Kanda with it, but the soft, cushioned material did little damage. All they managed to do was mess up their hair and bedclothes. By the time they stopped—Alma begging for a cease fire—they were sweaty and out of breath.

“Yuu, why are you so mean to me?” Alma whined, sighing as they stared up at the ceiling.

“I’m not mean. You’re just a baby.” Kanda got up from the mattress and turned off the main light switch by the door. He walked back to the bed in the dark, pushing Alma to the other side of the mattress as he crawled under the covers. “You’re hogging the bed again.”

Alma sighed and reached over the edge of the bed, fumbling for their phone charge cord in the dark. “Do we have to sleep already? Can’t we keep kissing?” they asked in a hushed tone. Once their phone was charging, they set it on the nightstand and turned back towards Kanda, hands cautiously seeking him out under the blankets. They rested their palm against his side, fingers worming their way under his shirt.

“Seems like you want more than kissing,” Kanda mumbled, making no move to further things along.

“Maaaybe…” Before they could attempt to persuade Kanda into losing an hour of sleep to fool around, Alma’s phone buzzed against the nightstand. They turned back around and grabbed it, checking the lock screen. They blinked in confusion. “…It’s Lena.”

“Hn. She’s usually asleep by now.”

“Yeah.” Alma opened the text and noticed right away that Alma and Kanda were the only ones she’d messaged—conveniently leaving Lavi out of their normal chat.

_Lena 10:20PM—_ Did Lavi mention anything about Allen to you two? Before tonight?

Alma showed the text to Kanda. “Do you know what she’s talking about?”

They saw Kanda’s eyebrows pinch together in the low light of their phone screen. “No.”

Typing up a response, Alma frowned softly as they worked their fingers over the screen.

_Alma 10:21PM—_ Nothing that wasn’t related to that science project they were working on. Why?

_Lena 10:21PM—_ No reason. Just curious. Goodnight.

Alma looked back to Kanda after receiving the last text. “What’s that about?”

Kanda curled his arm around Alma’s midsection, pulling them closer until their bodies were flush together. “She’s probably just worried. Put the phone away. The light hurts my eyes.”

Alma did as asked, locking the phone and setting it face down on the nightstand once more. However, they couldn’t let the conversation die. “Worried? Why? Because Lavi’s bringing Allen to the study group?”

“Yeah.”

“But what’s wrong with that?”

“Nothing,” Kanda answered, pressing his face against Alma’s shoulder. “But knowing Lena…She’s probably worried about Lavi getting close to Allen. He does have a reputation.”

“ _She_ _’s_ the one who told us not to get caught up in those weird rumors about him.” Alma sighed, frustrated at the double standard. They fidgeted under the blankets, thoughts racing around their mind as they tried to figure out what Lenalee was worried enough to text them over it. While it was true that Allen seemed to keep to himself, he wasn’t mean—just odd. Of course, Alma was a little odd, too.

“Don’t worry about it,” Kanda mumbled. He stroked Alma’s hair, tucking a few strands behind their ear.

They sighed again, hoping the action would release some of the tension in their body. Kanda’s calming touches helped, too. “Okay. I’ll try.”

“Good,” Kanda whispered, holding them closer. Alma could feel his breath on their neck, soft and warm and comforting. “Go to sleep, Alma.”

“Mm,” they mumbled, closing their eyes and doing their best to purge the unpleasant thoughts plaguing their mind. They hoped that whatever Lenalee was worried about, it wouldn’t come to fruition.

* * *

“Did you even bring homework?” Lavi asked as they walked down the hallway towards the library. He’d met up with Allen after classes had let out at 3:10, surprised that he hadn’t ditched.

“I have it,” Allen said, brandishing a thin, worn notebook. There were scribbled drawings scrawled over the cover, front and back.

“Where are your _books_?”

Allen laughed and shook his head, bumping Lavi’s shoulder with his own as they walked. “You’re asking like I have a single clue.”

Letting out a heavy sigh, Lavi pinched the bridge of his nose and fought down the urge to curse. He was already second guessing having Allen join him and his friends for their study session, and they hadn’t even started it yet. “You’re lucky they have copies of all the textbooks in the library.”

“Lucky is not the word I would use.”

“It’s a study session, Allen,” Lavi said, shifting the armful of books against his chest. “The point is to _study_.”

Allen wrinkled his nose. “Tell me again why I’m doing this?”

“To pass your classes?” Lavi suggested, growing more worried by the minute. “To eventually graduate.”

“I would rather be playing poker.”

“You mean _cheating_ at poker?”

“Is there a difference?” Allen asked back, an impish grin spreading over his face.

Another sigh, more resigned than annoyed, passed through Lavi’s lips. “I suppose there isn’t one for you.”

They entered the library, the study area just as empty as it was the previous nights he’d joined his friends for their study sessions. Lenalee sat at one of the larger tables, two piles of books on either side of her as she diligently typed on her laptop. A pair of dark purple glasses adorned her face, the laptop screen reflected in them. She only looked up when Lavi set his books down on the table next to her, giving them both a pleasant, albeit measured, smile.

“You finally make it back,” she said before turning her gaze back to the computer.

“I think Alma threatened to cry if I didn’t come this week,” Lavi said, rubbing the back of his neck as he gave her an awkward grin. “So, you can thank them.”

“I’ll do that.” She tilted her head slightly, eyes landing on Allen for a quick moment. “Glad to have you joining us, Allen.”

Allen smiled back at her as he dropped his flimsy notebook next to Lavi’s impressive stack of books. “Couldn’t miss a chance to study with our school’s illustrious leader.”

Lavi blinked, surprised. “You know Lena?”

“Everyone knows who the class president is,” Allen said, leaning against the table. “I’m more surprised you know who I am.”

Poised as always, Lenalee continued with her typing, unfazed. “Lavi’s mentioned you before.”

“Oh? All good things I hope?”

“Of course,” she replied, giving him a stern look—her tone more serious than usual.

“Allen,” Lavi said, tugging on Allen’s shirtsleeve as he stepped away from the table. “Let’s go find those books for you.”

Allen didn’t move for a moment, silently returning Lenalee’s gaze. It wasn’t until Lavi pulled on his sleeve harder that he gave in, turning to follow the redhead into the stacks.

When they were finally out of earshot, Allen leaned in close to whisper into Lavi’s ear. “Your friend is kind of intense.”

Lavi laughed, though the sound came out more nervous than mirthful. “Yeah, she can be.” They stopped in front of a shelving unit, thickly bound textbooks carefully lined up. “Don’t worry, though. She’ll warm up.”

“I hope so. It’s like I stepped into the Ice Queen’s castle or something.”

“That’s a bit dramatic.”

“If it were any colder, my nipples would cut through glass.”

“Also wildly inappropriate.” Lavi shook his head to toss that image from his mind and focused on the task at hand. “Okay, just—what books do you need to study tonight?”

“Again, do I have to actually study? Can’t I pretend?”

“No.”

“Ugh, fine.” Allen rubbed his eyes, grimacing as he thought over his options. “I suppose I could do some reading for English. Though it’s a nightmare to read.”

“What are you reading?”

“Romeo and Juliet.”

Lavi’s good eye lit up as he heard the title. “Really? That’s a great play. It’s supposed to be one of the most romantic plays of all time.”

“It’s horrible. I don’t understand half of what it says.” Allen shoved his hands in his pockets, glaring at the bookshelves. “There’s no point in trying. I’ll pick something else.”

“No, wait! I think there’s something that might help you! Hold on.” Lavi pulled Allen down a different aisle, excitement clear on his face as he hunted down the book on his mind.

Allen snickered, letting Lavi drag him through the stacks. “You have to be the biggest literature nerd I’ve ever met.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment. Thank you,” Lavi said without missing a beat. He stopped in front of a particular shelf, his single green eye scanning over the titles on the book spines. “Aha! Here it is!”

Lavi pulled the book off the shelf and handed it to him, the garish cover causing Allen to raise his eyebrows in confusion. “No Fear Shakespeare? What is this?”

“Look inside,” Lavi said, gesturing at the book. He waited until Allen flipped open a few pages to explain the contents. “This has the original text side by side with the modern translation. It’s easier to understand and read.”

“Oh.” Allen stopped at one of the pages and read over it. Lavi waited, watching with bated breath as Allen slowly scanned over the page and flipped to the next. “This is… actually kind of nice.”

“Right? It makes it so much easier to understand. And it’s faster to read.”

Allen licked his lips, a smile gracing his features. He closed the book and returned Lavi’s excited look. “Okay. I think I can get behind this.”

Before Lavi could reply, a familiar voice echoed through the otherwise quiet library. “Yuuuu! Please? I really wanna go!”

Unintelligible grumbling followed the question, along with a loud thump.

“What the hell was that?” Allen asked, closing the book.

“My _other_ friends.” Lavi headed down the stacks, motioning for Allen to follow. “C’mon. I’ll introduce you.”

As they entered the study area again, Lavi saw Alma and Kanda had joined Lenalee at the table. They each had their own pile of homework, smaller than Lenalee’s and Lavi’s. However, Alma was already distracted, face smushed into Kanda’s shoulder and whining dramatically into the fabric.

“Okay, what did I miss?” Lavi asked, sitting down opposite of Alma and Kanda. Allen joined him as well, setting his newly acquired book on the table.

At the sound of Lavi’s voice, Alma perked up, pulling their face away from Kanda’s arm. “Lavi, please help me convince Yuu to go to the Halloween party this weekend.”

“No,” Kanda said, his face sour as he opened up the first book from his pile. “I’m not going.”

“What Halloween party?” Lavi asked.

Alma smiled broadly at Lavi, excitement in their eyes. “The one that Tomeika’s throwing this Friday! Her parents are going to be out of town, so she’s invited half the school.”

Lavi gave them a skeptical look as he grabbed the first book from the stack in front of him. “I don’t think half the school could fit in anyone’s house.”

“Okay, so that’s a bit of an exaggeration,” Alma acquiesced, “But there will be a lot of people, regardless. And I wanna go!”

“No,” Kanda said, not looking up from his notebook as he scribbled down some algebra problems.

“Yuu, c’mon. Don’t be a wet blanket. I really want to go out.” Alma leaned against him again, doing their best to pout and look as sympathetic as possible. “Please? Please? _Please?_ ”

Kanda’s eyebrows pinched together, the crease between his eyes growing deeper the longer Alma prodded him. On the third and final _“please,”_ he broke. “That party is just an excuse to get drunk and dry hump anything that moves.”

Allen snorted at the comment. “Isn’t that part of the appeal?”

Alma brightened up, grinning at Allen’s defense of their plan. “Yes! See? Allen agrees!”

Leaning back in his chair, Kanda leveled a fiery glare at Allen. “That’s actually hindering your argument, Alma.”

Allen’s eyebrows twitched at Kanda’s comment, but the smug smirk didn’t drop from his lips. He turned his gaze to Alma, resting his elbows against the table. “If he won’t go with you, Lavi and I will.”

“What now?” Lavi asked, perking up at the mention of his name. He’d only been half-listening to the conversation and now regretted it.

“Really? You would?” Alma asked, grinning at them from across the table.

“Why not? Sounds fun.” Allen’s grin widened the harder Kanda glared at him. “I mean, who would say no to free beer and dry humping?”

Tension hung heavy in the air and Lavi started to wonder if he’d dropped a grenade on their study group by inviting Allen to join them. Kanda looked ready to rip Allen a new asshole and Lenalee, though she’d said nothing since the conversation began, had that pinched look between her eyes that Lavi recognized as anger. But regardless, he didn’t see anything wrong with Alma wanting to go to the party and Kanda was acting like his usual, stubborn self. “Sure, I’m in,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders. “I haven’t been to a high school party before.”

“This is homecoming all over again,” Kanda grumbled under his breath. He turned his attention to Lavi, lips curling into a deep frown. “Why can’t you listen when I tell you something sucks?”

“You think everything sucks,” Lavi said without missing a beat. “What are you worried about anyway? It’s just a party.”

Before Kanda could reply, Alma smiled and grabbed their homework from their backpack, settling into their seat. “It’s fine if you don’t wanna go, Yuu. I’ll just go with Allen and Lavi.”

“Like hell I’ll let you go with them alone.”

“Oh, so you _are_ coming, then?” Alma asked, giving Kanda a soft smile. Even Lavi could see the venom hidden behind those words.

“Tch.” Kanda looked away for a moment, as if to calm his building anger at being out-smarted by Alma, then turned back. “Fine. I’ll go. I’d rather deal with assholes than leave you alone with them.”

Lavi scoffed even as Alma celebrated the victory. “Thanks for the vote of confidence, Yuu.”

Kanda didn’t bother with a reply, returning to his homework while Alma grabbed their phone and started texting excitedly. “I’ll send you Tomeika’s address.”

Chuckling, Lavi shook his head and opened his book. “I guess we’re going to a party.”

Allen pulled up his own book as well, sliding back in his chair with a satisfied grin. “I’ll bring my dancing shoes.”


	7. Halloween

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Chapter Warnings**  
> Underaged Drinking  
> Arguments  
> Physical fights  
> Homophobic slurs
> 
> Another chapter! And an exciting one! Aaaa! I'm so happy to share this one with you all! There's a lot of Lavi and Allen interaction in this one, so I hope you're ready for that. 
> 
> Thanks again to everyone reading this fic, and as always, kudos and comments are much appreciated!

_And when you look into my eyes  
_ _Felt a sudden sense of urgency  
_ _Fascination casts a spell and  
_ _You became more than just a mystery_

_Chained to You  
_ _Savage Garden_

* * *

Friday morning, regret pumped through Lavi’s veins like a shark in a sea of fish, destroying any excitement he’d previously had about attending the Halloween party that night. He woke to the sound of his alarm—the wispy tendrils of another erotic dream floating in his mind and a raging hard-on tenting his boxers. It was the second time that week he’d dreamed of Allen, only to wake up aroused and guilt-ridden.

Now he had to spend the night pretending he _wasn_ _’t_ having sex dreams about his new friend. The universe was truly cruel to him.

Too embarrassed to indulge in another masturbatory session with Allen on his mind, Lavi scrubbed his hands over his face and headed for the shower. The cold water would take care of his impromptu boner, even if it couldn’t wash away his traitorous thoughts.

The conjured memory of Allen’s mouth, his lips and tongue, his hands, his eyes—none of it would leave his mind. He tried to focus on anything else after he’d arrived at school. Lessons, homework, the gum stuck under his desk, the graffiti on top of it. None of it worked. He was so preoccupied that he didn’t notice Allen had skipped biology class again until the tardy bell rang, the seat next to Lavi suspiciously empty.

As Ms. Kowalski started the lesson, he itched to send a text to Allen, asking where he was, but it wasn’t worth the possibility of getting his phone confiscated. Besides, it wasn’t the first time Allen had skipped class and he doubted it would be the last. Texting him now felt almost… desperate—like a clingy girlfriend who had to know where he was at all hours of the day. The thought sobered him enough to rein in his focus back to school work.

When the lunch bell rang, he left the classroom, relieved to have a distraction. But as soon as he joined his friends in the lunchroom, the party—and subsequently, Allen—were the center of conversation.

“Are you excited for tonight?” Alma asked as soon as Lavi had sat down. Their eyes were sparkling with excitement. Lavi could tell his friend had been bubbling with energy all morning, considering how exhausted Kanda looked.

“Yeah, of course,” Lavi replied, almost wincing at how forced the reply sounded. If Alma noticed, they didn’t mention it. Instead, they grabbed the burger off their cafeteria tray and took a quick bite.

“I sent the address to our group chat, in case anyone needed it. Lavi, you can give it to Allen, right?”

“W-What?” Lavi asked, the question hitting his ears in all the wrong ways. He flushed as he stared across the table at Alma.

“The address? I don’t have Allen’s number. I figured you two would go together, but if not, could you send it to him?”

“Oh, yeah. I can do that.” Lavi averted his gaze, staring back down at his depressing lunch. It might have looked appetizing at one point, but his stomach was twisted up in too many knots to eat anything now.

“By the way, where is Allen?” Alma asked, looking around the crowded cafeteria.

“Dunno. Didn’t see him in class.”

Lavi felt Lenalee’s concerned eyes fall on him. He struggled not to return her gaze. It was easier to deal with Alma’s upbeat attitude than Lenalee’s judging aura. Ever since he’d brought Allen to their study group, she’d been distant.

He sensed a question burning on Lenalee’s tongue, but before she could voice it, Alma jumped in again, keeping control of the conversation.

“Lena! You’re coming to the party, right?”

She leveled that same look at Lavi again, disapproving and unhappy, but nodded in response to Alma’s question. “Yes, I’ll come. I need to keep you out of trouble, right?”

Alma laughed and grabbed a few fries from their tray. “We won’t get in trouble, I promise! It’s going to be fun.”

“I’m sure,” Lenalee replied, though the tone of her voice indicated the exact opposite. She went back to her meal, slowly picking at it as Alma continued rambling on about the party.

The rest of the lunch period continued in the same fashion; Alma talked everyone’s ears off, Kanda’s disposition remained sour, and Lenalee was polite, but distant. On any other day, Lavi could’ve written off Lenalee’s odd behavior as her being distracted or having a bad day. But she only clammed up when conversation turned to Allen or the Halloween party. Lavi could be thick at times, but he wasn’t stupid.

* * *

_Allen 04:33PM—_ I’ll meet you at the party.

It was the last text Lavi had received from Allen before five hours of radio silence. He fought the urge to text him back, asking for some kind of updated status on his arrival time or if he’d changed his mind and decided to stay home, but the same queasy feeling crawled into his guts at the thought, churning in his stomach like sour milk. Instead, he kept himself distracted by chatting with Alma, who he swore hadn’t stopped talking since lunchtime. It was easier to ignore the weird feeling he’d had all day than think too hard on it.

Alma’s directions led them to the posh part of town. Lavi lived in a nice neighborhood in spite of how poorly his grandfather maintained the property, but this area made him second guess being allowed to even walk the streets. Well-manicured lawns and shrubbery greeted them at every turn, as well as brick and wrought iron fences coupled with gated driveways. He hesitated to even call the homes here houses—they looked more like mini-mansions.

Tomeika’s house was no exception. The front gate was open and cars lined the driveway. Lenalee parked on the street, where the cars had overflowed when the driveway ran out of space. Alma bounced excitedly next to Kanda, fingers entwined as they held hands. Lavi walked next to them as Lenalee trailed a few steps behind—still as taciturn as she’d been earlier that day. That was _yet another_ problem he needed to stop thinking about.

People milled about on the lawn and porch, music and conversations filtering out of the open windows and doors. Everyone they passed had at least one red Solo cup in their hand and by the smell of it, Lavi guessed they were filled with beer. Cheap beer, but beer nonetheless. He recognized most of the people from school, but there were a few faces he couldn’t place. Not that it mattered—he was too preoccupied looking for Allen and hoping that he hadn’t been ditched.

“C’mon,” Alma said, tugging on Kanda’s arm. “Let’s go get some drinks.”

Even with his mind still focused on Allen, Lavi smiled and followed after them as they slipped in through one of the open doors. Maybe if he had a drink, he could calm his nerves. “I like the sound of that.”

“We really shouldn’t be drinking,” Lenalee said as she trailed Lavi, a pinched look still between her eyes as she scanned the crowded living room.

“What’s the point of coming to a party if we don’t drink?” Alma asked, tucking a fews strands of dark purple hair behind their ear.

“They’ve got a point, Lena.” Lavi nudged her arm as they walked, only to earn a scowl for the effort.

The house felt bigger on the inside than it looked. Lavi wondered if Alma’s original assessment had been true and the whole school _had_ been invited. Each room and hallway they passed through was overflowing with people. Teenagers hung around the stairs, congregated in doorways, and leaned against walls. Every space and piece of furniture was completely occupied. The late October air might have been cool, but the house was hot with too many bodies crammed into every nook and cranny.

They entered the kitchen after wandering the first floor, finally locating the alcohol. Two large kegs sat on white marble countertops, beer and disposable cups littered around them like an alcoholic’s wet dream. Lavi spied an array of hard liquors on the kitchen island as well, bottles in various states of emptiness. A group of boys were taking shots, counting down from three before shooting back the liquor, while two others were filling cup after cup of frothy, yellow beer. The whole kitchen smelled like sweat and sour vomit, but that didn’t deter Alma from dragging them into the hornet’s nest.

Before they could even ask for a drink, the two guys working the keg threw a beer in each of their hands. Alma thanked them, moving out of the kitchen and back into the hallway.

Kanda sniffed the cup and made a face akin to cat sniffing its own shit. “Ugh, this smells like vomit.”

“Probably tastes like it, too,” Lenalee added, holding her cup with two fingers, as if just touching the thing would transfer the rancid smell.

Without hesitation, Alma drank down a mouthful of the beer. Lavi watched their facial expressions, going from excited to hating every second of existence and back to excited. “It’s not that bad,” they said, voice hoarse and full of lies. “The faster you drink it, the less you’ll taste.” Taking their own advice, they drank down another mouthful, draining the cup by half.

Lenalee’s eyes widened. “Easy, Alma. If you drink too fast, you’ll make yourself sick.” She set her hand on their shoulder, a worried look crossing her face.

Alma shook their head, dark purple hair tossing like a halo around them. “I’m fine. I want to have fun!” They smiled wide, energetic as usual. “I’m going to see if I can find Stacey and Derrek. They said they’d be here.” Before waiting for a reply, Alma disappeared into the next room.

Kanda tensed and cursed under his breath. “ _Shit_. Alma, wait!” He followed after them, moving as fast as he could without spilling his drink.

Sighing, Lenalee rubbed her temple—jaw tight and clenched. Lavi could tell she was desperately trying to not lose her patience. “Great, now we’ve lost them. We’ll never find them again in this madhouse.”

“Don’t worry so much, Lena,” Lavi said as he gave his beer another curious look. “They’ve got their phones. If we need to find them, we can text or call.”

“ _If_ they hear it. I can barely hear myself think in here. Why is the music so loud?”

“To drown out the noise in our heads?” Lavi offered, pulling the plastic cup to his lips. He took a cursory sip and winced, nearly gagging. “Fuck, this is _vile_! Who has the audacity to call this _beer_?”

“What were you expecting?” Lenalee asked him, setting her cup down on a nearby table. The red plastic looked out of place next to the elegant vase filled with red and white roses. “It’s cheap beer.”

Lavi stuck out his tongue and shook his head, hoping the taste would somehow disappear if he prayed enough. But it lingered like the smell of burnt popcorn after a mishap in the microwave. “I’ve had beer before when I was in Germany and this tastes like watered down piss.”

“Welcome to America.” Lenalee sighed, shaking her head.

Looking down into his cup, Lavi felt admiration for Alma. His friend had more guts than he did, drinking down that shitty beer without so much as a complaint. A sudden need for solidarity cropped up in his chest and he took a deep breath before chugging down another few mouthfuls of the alcohol. Lenalee watched with raised eyebrows as he sucked down half of the cup before coming up for air with a gasp and a moan of discontent.

“Nope, still tastes awful no matter how fast you drink it.”

Lenalee sighed again. “Lavi, you’re being an idiot. More so than normal.”

He gave her a wide grin and scratched the back of his neck. “Well, it _is_ a party. Aren’t I supposed to act like an idiot teenager?”

“It’s bad enough I have to worry about Alma. You’re not making it easier lately.”

Her comment didn’t sit well with him and his lips twitched into a ghost of a frown. That one offhanded comment reminded him just how rude she’d been for over a week, how she’d given him the cold shoulder and only spoke to him when necessary. It was completely unlike her. He couldn’t help but notice the change had happened as soon as he and Allen had grown closer.

Ignoring the constant flow of drunk people walking past them in the hallway, he glared at her. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“What do you think it means, Lavi?” Lenalee asked, not backing down. “I told you to be careful around Allen, but you’re suddenly hanging out with him all the time and inviting him into our friend group—”

“I’m not hanging out with him _all_ the time,” Lavi interrupted, but Lenalee continued without pause.

“The only reason we’re at this party is because of him and he’s not even here.”

Her words hit Lavi like a hammer to the chest. He tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry and stale, the taste of awful beer still clinging to his teeth. “Alma’s the one who wanted to come in the first place.”

Lenalee crossed her arms. “Yeah, but without you and Allen backing them up, Kanda and I could’ve stopped Alma from insisting on coming to this party.”

That ache in Lavi’s chest continued to worsen as their conversation continued. “Y’know, Lena. You’re not Alma’s mother. You can’t tell them what to do. And if _you_ didn’t want to come to this party, you should’ve stayed home.”

“And you don’t know the kind of shit Alma’s had to deal with,” Lenalee snapped, her voice cutting through the din of voices and music. “You’ve been overseas since we were seven. You haven’t had to pick up the pieces when everything shatters.”

Lenalee’s tone shook him. He’d never heard her that serious before. But even with that warning tone, he couldn’t keep his mouth shut, not when she’d agitated him this much. His fingers curled around the cup in his hands, teeth anxiously picking at lip. “So, what? Are you saying you have to babysit me and Alma? Why? ‘Cause we make bad choices?”

“Yes,” Lenalee replied bluntly, not breaking eye contact. “Alma tries to be friends with everyone, no matter how they treat them. You know half the people Alma talks about in their other classes? They bully Alma—they have since grade school. But Alma tries their best to be friends with everyone, no matter what. Coming here would just give them another chance to bully them.”

Her explanation quickly took the wind out of Lavi’s sails. He deflated, shoulders slumped. “I—I didn’t know.”

“No, you didn’t. And you didn’t listen to me about Allen, either,” she continued, taking a step forward into Lavi’s personal space. Even though she was nearly a foot shorter than he was, she knew how to intimidate him without fail. “I told you he was trouble, but you refused to stay away from him after your science project was finished.”

Lavi felt the wall at his back, pressing uncomfortably against his shoulders. “That’s not the same.”

“Is it? Because I know you’ve skipped class because of him. And you’re missing our study sessions half the time to be with him.” The look Lenalee gave him could’ve frozen lava for how cold it was.

“I don’t really need to study. I’m already getting straight A’s.” The words were out of Lavi’s mouth before he could stop himself and by the time he’d realized what he’d said, he knew he’d made a mistake.

“Oh, so you’re saying it’s fine to skip class and ignore your assignments because you’re doing fine?” Lenalee’s eyebrows knit tight together, the crease between her eyes deepening. “And you don’t care about helping your friends, because you’d rather play hooky with a delinquent?”

“Hey—”

“What is going on with you, Lavi?” Lenalee asked, cutting him off without remorse. “Why are you ignoring your friends?”

“I’m not, I just—” Lavi struggled to explain himself and the complicated feelings bubbling up in his stomach at the mere thought of Allen Walker. “Why are you so against me spending time with Allen, anyway? Do you think I can’t take care of myself? That he’s gonna take advantage of me somehow?”

“I don’t know, Lavi. You tell me.” Lenalee hadn’t lost that sharp edge to her voice, each word cutting him like a knife. “You’re already making a lot of poor decisions and we’re not even through the first semester. Or are you planning to flunk your senior year so you can _‘hang out’_ with Allen longer?”

“You’re being ridiculous. I’m not going to flunk because I’m spending time with Allen.”

“Really? Are you so sure of that, Mr. Sheltered Home-Schooled Kid?”

Lavi wrinkled his nose at the comment. It was a low blow for Lenalee—she must have been pissed at him. “C’mon, Lena. You’re overreacting.”

“If you want to screw up your last year of school, be my guest,” Lenalee said, backing away as she continued glaring at him. “But don’t drag Alma down with you.” Before Lavi could reply, Lenalee turned on her heel and left him alone in the crowded hallway.

“Shit,” Lavi grumbled to himself, wiping a hand over his face. He tried to calm his erratic thoughts, but Lenalee’s accusing words had him by the throat. Was he really that naive? Had he actually been slipping and not noticed? And what about Allen?

_Allen_ _…_

He still hadn’t shown up at the party. Lavi checked his phone for a message, but it was still silent. No one had tried to contact him, least of all Allen. Maybe he’d made a mistake spending time with the petty thief. It wasn’t worth jeopardizing his future just for some fun and a bit of excitement, was it?

At that thought, his mind returned to the dreams he’d been having of his light-fingered friend and he grew confused all over again. Why did everything have to be so complicated?

A group of teens happily screeched down the hall, stealing away Lavi’s attention. He heard a chant of “Chug! Chug!” and watched as two large guys—football players by the look of their letterman jackets—drank down beer after beer. There was a large cheer as they finished and stumbled back towards the kegs in the kitchen.

Right—beer. Party. Wasn’t he supposed to be having fun, not getting into arguments with his friends? Maybe the jocks had the right idea. Maybe he just needed to drink and things wouldn’t feel so shitty. After giving an unpleasant look at his half-empty cup, he gulped down the rest of the contents, doing his best to ignore the disgusting taste it left in his mouth. When he finished and came up for a breath of fresh air, his stomach churned angrily and he swallowed down the urge to throw up what he’d just drank down.

Alcohol would help this—that was the whole point of the party, wasn’t it? To let loose and have fun? And he couldn’t do that without a little social lubricant, could he? He spied Lenalee’s forgotten beer on the table next to him. Without hesitation, he grabbed it and drank another mouthful of the rancid concoction. He wasn’t going to waste the night over-thinking. He was going to have fun.

* * *

Beer, Alma had decided, was their least favorite drink.

The aftertaste that lingered in their mouth was unpleasant enough, but the heavy feeling it left in their stomach doubled Alma’s dislike for the beverage. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much else to drink at the party—or at least anything they could get their hands on. Whenever they found something other than beer, they’d been rudely told _that_ alcohol wasn’t for ‘regular’ partygoers. Alma couldn’t argue, not while being stared down by the popular kids at their school who were far larger and stronger than they were.

Instead, they wandered through the house. Alma had been on their own for thirty minutes, choking down one beer in that time. They didn’t feel any different, not like some of the other teenagers he’d seen. Most people were swaying, laughing too loudly, or doing some sort of ridiculous and dangerous stunt while surrounded by a large crowd.

Alma had tried to find their friends, but so far, they couldn’t find anyone they were on friendly terms with. If they couldn’t find something fun to do, they would have to concede to Kanda that the whole night had been a waste of time.

Flitting from room to room made Alma dizzy after a while and with a fresh cup of shitty beer in their hand, they sat down on the arm of a leather couch. The couch was already occupied by two couples, both making out furiously and neither noticed Alma’s presence. At least being invisible helped them for once.

A raucous cheer rose from the other end of the room and Alma looked up. A group stood around a long table, rows of red Solo cups lined on both ends. It only took Alma a second to realize what they were playing as soon as the little plastic ball bounced off the table and into one of the cups.

“Ayy, drink up!” one of the guys said, elbowing his friend in the side as he reached for the cup the ball had bounced into. Alma recognized them—two of the school’s more popular football players—Chad and Tommy.

“Yeah, yeah—I know the rules,” Chad replied. Alma watched as he downed the whole cup in a few seconds, crushing the plastic when he’d finished. Another cheer filled the room and Alma felt drawn to the table.

They stood up, plastering a nervous smile on their face as they scraped their thumbnail against the uneven plastic of their cup. The game continued and they wanted to play. They wanted to have fun. They wanted to be _part of something_. But before they could cross the room and ask to join, a firm hand grabbed their shoulder and pulled them back.

“Hey, what—Yuu?” Alma looked up at their assailant only to see their boyfriend scowling down at them. With a frustrated sigh, they shrugged out of Kanda’s grip. “Why are you grabbing me like that? I almost spilled my drink.”

“Who cares about your drink!” Kanda growled. Alma was certain he would bust the throbbing vein in his forehead if he didn’t calm down. “I’ve been looking for you for half an hour!”

“Yuu, I’m fine,” Alma said, letting out another heavy sigh. “I don’t need supervision. I’m not a child.”

Kanda chewed his lip, still glaring at Alma as if he wanted to say something, but knew it would be taken the wrong way. Instead, he grabbed them by the elbow and pulled them towards the doorway. “C’mon. Let’s go find Lena and Lavi.”

Digging their heels into the carpet, Alma leaned back and shook loose of Kanda’s hold. “Why? I’m having fun right here.”

“Doing what? Standing here by yourself?” Kanda asked, sarcasm heavy in his voice. “Alma, stop arguing with me. We’re finding our friends and—”

“And what? And leaving? Because you hate parties and drinking? Because you don’t want me to have fun?”

“What part of this is fun?” Kanda asked, still looking like he was on the edge.

Pressing their lips together in a thin line, Alma fought the urge to give in. “If you want to be with Lena and Lavi, that’s fine. But I’m not going anywhere.”

“Alma—”

“Yuu, if you’re just here to argue with me, then leave.”

Kanda mouth snapped shut like a mouse trap, his eyebrows still angled dangerously. He was quiet for a minute, visibly twitching and sighing heavily. When he finally spoke, Alma could tell it took all of his energy just to keep from shouting. “Fine. Do what you want. But I’m not leaving your side, understand?”

“Like a guard dog?” Alma asked, a little smile spreading over their lips.

“Sure, whatever.”

“Okay, then. We’re going to play beer pong.”

Alma swore Kanda’s groan of disapproval echoed through the entire house.

* * *

Lavi had been at the party for over an hour and Allen still hadn’t shown up. Fashionably late was one thing, but blowing someone off was something else entirely. Allen hadn’t even bothered to text him back or call, ghosting him instead. Maybe Lenalee had been right all along—Allen wasn’t someone that Lavi should waste his time on.

But even that thought, as benign as it was, sat in Lavi’s stomach like the sour beer he’d been drinking steadily for the past hour. Lenalee might have had a point—Allen was trouble. Lavi couldn’t deny that, not after the displays of delinquency Allen had expressed in his presence on numerous occasions. But still… There was something that drew him to Allen like a moth to a flame. Allen had something in him that Lavi had never seen before—a fire that burned hotter and brighter than anyone else’s. It called to him, whispering to him in the night like the ghost of a lost lover. The more he found out about Allen, the more he realized he knew nothing of the boy and it intrigued him.

Allen was a puzzle. And Lavi loved puzzles.

But the fact remained that Allen obviously didn’t have that same attraction that Lavi had. Besides, Allen had Tyki. There was no room for Lavi in Allen’s life, at least not in the way Lavi’s dreams had been begging him for. The realization was a mood killer and he took another swig of the foul beer. After hitting his third cup, he realized why everyone drank it so fast. The more you drank, the less you cared that it tasted like watered down piss.

He stared at his third drink, not drunk enough to lose his inhibitions, but buzzed enough to not care that he was sitting by himself in a room, completely ignored by the twenty-some teens playing a drinking game at a large dining room table. He hadn’t paid enough attention to what the game entailed—only that everyone was drinking and laughing and having fun, something he now realized he wasn’t going to have here.

With a sigh, he stood up, swaying ever so slightly on his feet. Maybe the beer went to his head a little more than he’d thought. Whatever—he was going to find Lenalee, tell her she’d been right all along, and get her to drive him home early. If he was lucky, she’d swing by the McDonald’s and get him a double cheeseburger to drown his sorrows in. Maybe fries and a chocolate shake, too.

Another sigh flew past his lips and Lavi rubbed his good eye with the back of his hand. “What a waste of a Friday night,” he mumbled to himself. He was not looking forward to listening to Lenalee’s “I told you so” speech.

Suddenly, a voice cut through the din and Lavi’s heart leapt into his throat. “Aw, don’t tell me you’re leaving already. I just got here.”

Lavi yanked his hand away from his face, vision blurred for a few seconds before his green eye focused in on Allen standing a few feet in front of him. “A-Allen,” he stuttered, taken by surprise by his friend’s presence. “I thought you weren’t coming.”

“I said I was coming and I’m here. But it looks like I’m late to the party. How many of those have you had?” He pointed to the cup in Lavi’s hand, a knowing smirk on his face.

“Ah… Just a couple.” Lavi looked away, a sudden shyness eclipsing his emotions. “It’s awful, though. I wouldn’t drink it if I were you.”

“It’s okay. I don’t drink.” Allen looked around, shoving his hands in the pockets of his threadbare sweatshirt. “Where are your friends? I thought they were coming, too.”

“They’re here,” Lavi explained, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. “Alma ran off somewhere with Yuu on their heels. And I’m… sort of avoiding Lena at the moment.”

“Uh oh,” Allen said, leaning in closer to Lavi. “Are you mad at her or something? Or is she mad at you?”

“It’s, uh… mutual, I suppose.”

“Wanna talk about it?”

Lenalee’s words shot through Lavi’s head again, everything about Allen and how Lavi should avoid him for his own good. He swallowed and shook his head, not able to meet Allen’s silver gaze. “No. I just wanna forget about it.”

“That can be arranged.” Allen looked around the room, his nose wrinkling as his eyes landed on the group at the table still playing their drinking game, more loud laughter echoing around them. “Let’s find some place else to sit. It’s too loud here. And maybe get you something other than cheap beer to drink.”

Allen took his wrist, pulling Lavi back out into the hallway. His fingers were so gentle that Lavi had to physically keep himself from sighing in contentment at the touch. “Sounds good. I don’t really want to drink anymore of this.”

Allen snickered. “I don’t blame you.” They made their way back into the kitchen, weaving through hallways and past drunk teenagers. Lavi had wandered the house alone after splitting up with Lenalee and every room had felt crowded, suffocating. But with Allen’s hand on his wrist, it didn’t seem as bad.

Taking Lavi’s cup, Allen set it on the counter next to the kegs, then opened the fridge, searching for something to drink other than alcohol. After a few moments of fishing around, he closed the door and handed Lavi a can of coke. “Here, this will taste better,” he said, cracking open his own can.

Lavi drank the coke, nearly moaning for how good it tasted after drinking nothing but beer for an hour. The acidic sweetness of the cola washed away the sour beer. “Okay,” he said with a satisfied sigh. “I should’ve been drinking this the whole time.”

“Live and learn,” Allen replied, taking his own long gulp of the sugary drink. He leaned back against the counter and turned to Lavi, their shoulders pressing against each other. Just as he was about to say something, a loud group filed into the kitchen, chanting for more beer. They gave Allen and Lavi no thought as they pushed their way to the kegs and began filling their empty cups.

Allen sighed and nudged Lavi towards the exit. “Let’s get out of here.”

Lavi gave the rowdy group an annoyed look before heading towards the door. “Yes, please.”

With a laugh, Allen followed him back out into the hallway, more drunk teens ambling their way from room to room. The steady beat of bass came from some unknown area of the house, but the source was always far enough away that the song and artist were unrecognizable. “Okay, I’m starting to think we’ll never find a quiet place in this house.”

“You might be right,” Lavi said, narrowly jumping back from another drunken group as they ran down the hall. He bumped into Allen as he moved out of the way, nearly spilling his drink in the process. Allen steadied him, his free hand on Lavi’s hip as they waited for the hallway to clear. The touch was soft, the same as when Allen grabbed his wrist earlier, but the closeness left Lavi’s face flushed. He swallowed down the nervous knot in his throat. He’d spent most of the day trying to forget about Allen and now this? He couldn’t win.

Allen’s fingers lingered on Lavi’s hip longer than necessary and when he pulled away, Lavi swore he saw hesitation in his silver eyes. “Downstairs seems loudest. Let’s try upstairs.”

Nodding, Lavi’s gaze fell on the staircase just down the hall. “Sure, it’s worth a shot.” They checked both ways before leaving the relative safety of the wall and slipped upstairs. As they set foot on the second floor, the change in mood was immediate.

The second floor was less spacious than the first, but still more crowded than Lavi would’ve liked. Doors lined the wide hallway, half of them left open with people hanging in the thresholds. Some were talking in hushed tones, some drinking, others kissing and feeling each other up in the darkened corners to find what little privacy they could. As he and Allen made their way down the hall, Lavi swore he heard a moan coming from one of the closed rooms. His face flushed bright red as he realized they weren’t in the rambunctious, beer-slinging half of the party anymore—they were in the makeout zone.

“Here,” Allen said, sitting down on the carpeted floor next to a large window. “This is as good a spot as any.” The little corner was out of the way and private enough that no one else would bother them. Not that the couples around them seemed interested in anything but each other.

Music from downstairs vibrated through the floor and Lavi felt it as he sat down. The floor wasn’t as uncomfortable as he’d expected. He took a sip of his coke as he leaned back, the cool wall pleasant in the heat of the crowded house. He crossed his legs, knees hitting Allen’s as they settled in, and fiddled with the can in his hand. Why was this so awkward? It shouldn’t have been this awkward…

Allen sighed in relief, knocking his head back against the wall and staring up at the ceiling. “Sorry if this is boring. You just looked like you could use a break from the excitement.”

“No, it’s fine,” Lavi replied, rolling his soda can between his palms. “I actually, ah.. prefer this. It’s noisy downstairs.”

“That’s one way to describe it.” A hint of laughter bubbled up from Allen’s chest before he took another sip of coke. “I’m surprised you weren’t mingling more, though.”

“And why’s that?” Lavi asked, still refusing to look at any part of Allen that wasn’t his worn out, holey sneakers.

“Isn’t it every nerd’s fantasy to get invited to the big party that some popular person is hosting?”

Lavi snorted at the obvious jest and nudged his shoulder against Allen’s. He felt the heat radiate off his body through his sweatshirt. “First off, I’m too cool to be a nerd.”

“Debatable,” Allen countered with a grin.

“And second, I don’t think I was _actually_ invited. I only came because Alma really wanted to go. And I’d never been to a high school party before. Or really any party that had more than five people in attendance that wasn’t for a birthday.”

“Nerd.”

Lavi scoffed, rolling his eye at Allen’s teasing. “Shut up.” He fiddled with the tab on the top of his can again, the hint of a smile on his face. A silence fell between them, but for the first time that night, it didn’t make Lavi anxious. Glancing at Allen, he snapped the tab again, louder this time. “Hey, you know… you don’t have to sit with me. You just got here. You probably want to… mingle or something.”

Allen laughed and shook his head, taking another sip of soda. “ _Mingle_. Hard pass.” He brushed his hair back from his face, and Lavi caught a glimpse of the scarring around his left eye. “Most people wouldn’t be caught dead talking to me. I think that would make mingling a bit hard.”

The comment hit Lavi in the chest, like a rock pitched square into his solar plexus. “C’mon, it can’t be that bad.”

“Trust me. Being the school’s designated scapegoat isn’t as glamorous as it sounds.”

Lavi licked his lips, the aftertaste of beer finally washed away by the sweetness of the coke. “If you don’t like going to these things, then why come tonight?”

With a shrug, Allen slumped back against the wall. “Your friend Alma sure wanted to go and no one was on their side.”

Lavi sighed. “Yeah. Lena and Yuu aren’t exactly party animals, if you haven’t noticed.”

“Besides,” Allen began, smiling down at his hands as he held the perspiring can of soda between them. “I like hanging out with you.”

Lavi’s heart beat anew at those words, the thumping in his chest slowly quickening. He swallowed, tongue feeling too big for his own mouth. “I, uh… I like hanging out with you, too.”

“Convenient,” Allen added, a sweet smile slipping onto his pale pink lips. He leaned against Lavi’s shoulder, his head resting against it. “We should probably hang out more often, then.”

“Probably,” Lavi echoed, unconsciously leaning into Allen as well. In the back of his mind, he recalled Lenalee’s words, her warnings about getting too close to Allen—spending too much time with someone so chaotic and troublesome. But her warnings went in one ear and out the other. She didn’t know Allen and she wasn’t the boss of Lavi, either.

As his thoughts twisted themselves in knots trying outrace each other, Lavi felt a warmth on his leg. He glanced down and saw Allen’s hand splayed over it, fingernails picking at the frayed holes in the knees of his jeans. “Uh, Al…?”

Allen didn’t stop picking at the fabric, eyes focused on his task. “Do you like me, Lavi?”

“Of course,” Lavi replied without hesitation. His cheeks flushed and he tried to keep from watching Allen fidget. “Why would I want to spend time with someone I don’t like?”

“Don’t play games with me,” Allen said, still not looking into the redhead’s face. “I don’t like games and I know you know how I meant it.”

“I—” Lavi cut himself off, turning his head away. His chest pinched tight, heart thudding against his ribcage like a caged bird. He knew Allen was blunt, but this… this was too much.

He took a breath, shallow and quick. “Why are you asking me that?”

Allen’s fingers stilled over Lavi’s knee, a heavy silence building between them. Lavi doubted Allen had expected a question thrown back in his face, and he took his time answering. “I already told you—because I don’t like playing games. And you shouldn’t answer a question with a question.”

“I’m not playing games,” Lavi said, suddenly feeling vulnerable and defensive. “What makes you think I like you, anyway? What are you—a mind reader?”

Laughing quietly to himself, Allen tugged on the frayed edge Lavi’s ripped jeans again. “I don’t have to read minds. You’re a goddamn open book, Lavi. Just look at yourself. You’re beet red over a simple question.”

Lavi set his can of soda aside and brushed his messy hair back from his face. He felt the heat radiating off his cheeks, but refused to acknowledge it. “Yeah, well ask anyone an embarrassing question and they’ll react the same.” He moved to get up, anxiety creeping up his spine like frost over an old window pane in winter. Before he could get to his feet, Allen grabbed his wrist and yanked him back down to the floor.

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“What does it matter?” Lavi snapped back, finally looking Allen in the eye. “I’m not stupid. I know you’re dating Tyki, so what does it matter if I like you or not?”

Allen paused, as if taken aback. Lavi had never seen such surprise on his face before. He hadn’t let go of Lavi’s wrist, fingers still wrapped around it as tenderly as they had when they’d met up downstairs. It made Lavi’s stomach flutter in an all too pleasing way, something he couldn’t let happen while he was getting shot down. It was bad enough that Allen would likely stop spending time with him over this—he didn’t need the added heartache.

“Actually,” Allen began, meeting Lavi’s stern gaze with a softer one—a look Lavi had never seen from his friend before. “It matters a lot.”

Lavi pressed his lips together in a thin line. “And why is that?”

“Because I like you, too. A lot.” Allen gave him a smile, as if to reassure him and calm that bitter hot fire sparking in his chest. “And so does Tyki.”

Those three little words chimed in Lavi’s ears like delicate bells, perfect. But it wasn’t enough, it didn’t feel _right_. “But… You and Tyki—”

“Yeah, we’re together,” Allen finished, cutting Lavi off again. “But just because we’re together doesn’t mean you can’t be with us, too.”

Lavi swore his heart stopped in that instant, its furious fluttering growing silent. Allen’s gaze refused to retreat from Lavi’s and it left the redhead’s throat dry, parched, in a way that his half empty can of coke could never quench. Allen? _And_ Tyki? They both liked him? It was such a foreign concept, so strange and yet, so tempting.

He’d had boyfriends and girlfriends off and on, but none of them lasted long—how could they when his mom carted him off to a different continent every three months? Which left him with… less experience than he’d liked when it came to dating. But dating two people? At the same time? It sounded exhausting and exhilarating all at once. His body hummed with the possibilities, but that didn’t change the fact that it was new territory for him and he had no idea how something like this worked. He hadn’t even spent that much time with Tyki, especially when compared to Allen.

But, _oh_ … It felt nice to be wanted. It felt nice to be sought after. It felt… too good to be true. Lavi leaned back against the wall, hands on the floor to keep them from shaking. “It’s not nice to joke about that stuff, Al.” He gave a half-hearted laugh, weak in comparison to the tightness in his chest. “You’re gonna break my heart.”

“Who’s joking?” Allen asked, voice laden with a serious tone. He moved in closer, hand sliding up Lavi’s thigh. Lavi felt the warmth through his jeans, his ears filling with cotton as Allen’s face neared his.

“A-Al?” Lavi asked, his voice but a whisper. But before he said another word, Allen’s lips met his. His breath caught in his throat at the soft pressure of Allen’s chapped lips. He closed his eye, heart pounding and body tingling as if he’d stuck his finger in an electrical socket. Allen rested one hand on Lavi’s thigh and the other on his shoulder, steadying himself as they kissed.

A pitiful moan rumbled in Lavi’s throat and he rested his hands on Allen’s hips without a second thought. The touch only seemed to spur Allen on, his forward friend slipping his tongue into Lavi’s mouth. Lavi let out a soft squeak of surprise, but kept kissing. His stomach flipped, a horde of butterflies fluttering in his guts. Allen was kissing him. _Allen Walker was kissing him!_

But all good things had to end eventually. Allen pulled away first, practically sitting in Lavi’s lap, hands still pressed against him. His cheeks were flushed and Lavi was thankful he wasn’t the only one blushing up a storm. But even the redness on his skin didn’t deter from the strong, unwavering gaze in his silver eyes.

“Do you still think I’m joking?” Allen asked, his voice husky and deep from their kiss.

“N-No,” Lavi replied, taking a long, slow breath to calm his trembling nerves. His brain melted from the close contact, words coming out in stutters and half-articulated sentences. “You, um… You kiss nice.”

Allen chuckled. “Thanks. You’re not so bad yourself.” He slipped the hand resting on Lavi’s shoulder to his neck, thumb brushing against the tender, sensitive skin. Clearing his throat, he leaned back, giving them both space to breathe. “Give it some thought, Lavi. You don’t have to answer now, but I’d like to see where this goes.”

Lavi’s fingernails dug into the carpet under him, his heart in his throat. “I…I’m curious, too. I mean, to see where it leads. I just… I’ve never been with more than one person before. It sounds... complicated.”

“It doesn’t have to be,” Allen replied, sitting half on the floor and half in Lavi’s lap. “We can take it slow. As slow as you want.”

Nodding, Lavi let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. “Okay.”

Allen watched him, his silver eyes focused on his face. He waited, fingers twitching on Lavi’s thigh as the air between them burned with sexual tension. He glanced behind him, none of the other occupants of the hallway giving them a passing look, then turned back to Lavi. The grin that spread over his lips made Lavi’s knees weak. “Hey, how about we get out of here?”

Lavi blinked, surprised at the suggestion. “You want to leave? Already?”

“This isn’t really my scene,” Allen said with a shrug. “I’ll stay if you want to, but I think we could have fun elsewhere.”

The vagueness of his response made Lavi’s guts twist pleasantly. The promise of something special, something private between them forced Lavi’s reply too quickly past his lips. “Yeah, let’s go. I just gotta tell my friends we’re leaving.”

They stood and Lavi pulled his phone from the back pocket of his jeans. His battery was low—which didn’t give him a lot of time to shoot Lenalee a text. He followed after Allen, meandering their way back down the stairs in search of the exit. Lavi had walked in circles so many times, he’d lost track of how to leave this maze of a house.

As he typed, Allen tugged on his shirtsleeve, stopping in front of a large doorway. “…Lavi.”

“Hold on, Al. I’m trying to type.”

“No, Lavi—look.”

Doing as told, Lavi looked up and saw Kanda and Alma talking with a group of guys near what looked to be a poorly set up beer pong table. His fingers paused, hovering over the screen of his phone as the scene set in front of him. Alma flinched, cowering behind Kanda when one of the bigger guys stepped forward. Kanda held his ground.

“Apologize,” Kanda said, glaring up at the large teen in front of him. His hands were squeezed tight into fists at his sides, jaw set and eyebrows furrowed.

“For what?” Chad asked, shrugging his shoulders. The unimpressed sneer on his face made Lavi queasy. “Calling your little girlfriend a homo?”

Alma shrunk in on themself, even smaller than before. They grabbed Kanda’s arm and tugged at it. “Yuu, let’s just go. It’s not a big deal.”

“Yes,” Kanda snapped, ignoring Alma’s quiet pleas behind him. “Apologize—now.”

Chad laughed, looking back at his buddies who were equally amused. When he shifted his gaze back to Kanda, he tilted his chin back, an air of arrogance and superiority hanging over him like a smug cloud. “I don’t apologize to little fags like you.”

Kanda’s fist flew so fast that if Lavi had blinked, he would have missed the first hit. Chad fell to the floor, knocked out cold by the punch. He didn’t have time to react before the other two jumped into the fray, attacking Kanda with vigor.

Lavi’s eye widened, shocked at the scene unraveling before him. Kanda took a hit to the face, pinned to the ground by one of the boys—Lavi swore he had to play football for how huge he was. Alma cried, calling out Kanda’s name and shouting at everyone to stop fighting. His body felt like lead, heavy and unmovable as he tried to take his first step to help. He couldn’t just stand there. He had to do _something._

Before he could jump to action, Allen bolted past him like a falcon on the wind. Lavi blinked, complete dumbstruck as he watched the skinny teen launch himself onto the largest guy attacking Kanda. The move disoriented the assailant, rolling him to the side and off of Kanda. The attack gave Kanda the chance to sucker punch him as well, knocking the asshole to the floor.

As the violence escalated, Lavi knew he couldn’t sit idle any longer. Shaking off the fear and shock gripping his chest, he rushed in, pushing the third guy before he could hit Kanda. The people in the room started chanting “Fight!” over and over again as Kanda and Allen worked together to finish off the last attacker. Lavi sat up, shaken, and watched Kanda get in one more punch before standing up and dusting himself off. A chorus of groans emanated from the pile of bodies on the floor.

“Yuu! Are you crazy?!” Alma cried, visibly trembling as they grabbed Kanda’s face with both hands. “You’re bleeding!” They touched Kanda’s eyebrow, wincing as blood smeared across their fingers.

“It’s fine,” Kanda growled, but didn’t push Alma’s hands away.

Allen helped Lavi off the floor after getting to his feet, not letting go of his hand even after Lavi was upright. “Didn’t think you had it in you,” he said, grinning up at the redhead.

“Neither did I,” Lavi confessed, scratching the back of his neck. Truthfully, he didn’t do much. Allen and Kanda took the brunt of the fight. Just as he gathered his bearings, head still spinning from the rush of adrenaline, Lenalee entered the room.

“What the hell is going on?!” she demanded, looking at each of them in turn. When her eyes landed on Allen, her scowl deepened.

“Nothing,” Kanda said, pushing past her. “Let’s go. I’m done with this party.”

Lenalee followed Alma and Kanda out of the room and Lavi watched as Lenalee continued to grill them both like a worried mother hen. The chatter in the room grew, the fight suddenly forgotten as quickly as it began. Allen nudged Lavi’s shoulder, their fingers still intertwined.

“Hey. Still wanna get out of here?”

Lavi laughed and nodded, tightening his grip on Allen’s hand. “Absolutely.”


	8. Discord

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter Warnings: None
> 
> I'm really sorry this chapter is out so late. I've been house hunting for over a month now and I'm exhausted. I'll do my best to keep posting chapters when I can.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this one!

_We took a back road_   
_We’re gonna look at the stars_   
_We took a back road in my car_   
_Down to the ocean_   
_It’s only water and sand_   
_And in the ocean, we’ll hold hands_

_Bones_   
_The Killers_

* * *

“I _knew_ this would happen.”

Lavi sighed as the words flew from Lenalee’s lips like poison. He loved her like a sister, he really did, but whenever she rode her high horse to talk down to him, Kanda, or Alma, it always left a nasty taste in his mouth—much like the cheap swill they were passing off as beer at the party. They’d walked halfway down the street, the sound of the Halloween party lingering in the cool, night air behind them, and Lenalee had barely taken a breath to stop talking.

“You’re lucky you didn’t get seriously hurt,” she continued, aggressively searching through her purse for her keys. “And if those people you fought with knew who you were? They could press charges. Do you want to end up in juvenile detention?”

Kanda rolled his eyes, hands tucked deep into the pockets of his jeans. Alma had an arm looped around his, sticking to Kanda like glue ever since they had left the party. “They won’t say anything. If they did, they’d have to admit a bunch of queers beat them up.”

Allen laughed, but didn’t comment otherwise, and Lavi couldn’t help the hint of a smile that slipped onto his lips at Kanda’s rebuff.

“That doesn’t mean you can start fights!” Lenalee let out a huff and stopped next to her car, ready to upend her purse onto the sidewalk. “Where are my stupid keys?”

“Lena, c’mon,” Lavi started, trying to calm her down. “Those guys were being assholes. They were calling Alma names.”

“So, name-calling permits violence? Is that what you’re saying?”

“No, just—” He sighed and shook his head. She wasn’t going to let this go. “Can’t you cut us some slack?”

Lenalee shot him a glare so sharp it could have cut glass. “And why should I? You were all acting like immature children!”

Maybe he still had that rush of adrenaline in his system from the fight. Or maybe he was fed up with Lenalee’s lectures. But that last comment broke whatever dam had held his anger and frustration back. “ _We_ were immature?! We weren’t the raging homophobes slinging slurs at people!” Lavi snapped, hands balling into fists at his side. “We shouldn’t have to eat shit just to not cause a scene. Yuu was right for punching that jerk in the face.”

Kanda snickered, arms crossed over his chest. “For once, we agree on something.”

“ _Thank you_ ,” Lavi added, still riled up.

She froze, her unyielding gaze softening for the first time that night. Her fingers stiffened against the straps of her purse, jaw tight and tense. Lavi thought for a second that she might give in and stop her pointless lecturing, but when her eyebrows furrowed and her lips turned into a deeper frown, he knew his hopes had been dashed. “Your behavior was childish, regardless of your justifications.”

Lavi clenched his teeth together to bite back the rude response sitting on the tip of his tongue. He counted to five in his head, slow and deliberate, then turned to Alma and Kanda. Alma still had that shaken look in their blue eyes and it made Lavi’s heart ache. His friends shouldn’t have had to go through that—no one should.

He gave Alma a quick hug and his anger doubled as he felt them shaking. “Text me if you need anything, okay?”

Kanda grunted in reply and Alma nodded, wide-eyed. “Okay.”

His gaze landed on Allen, who smirked back at him in acknowledgment. Together they turned around and began walking in the opposite direction. Lenalee took a step forward in confusion.

“Where are you going?” she called after them.

Without turning around, Lavi replied, “Away from you.”

* * *

“I can’t believe you talked to her like that,” Allen commented as they made their way down the block. They were still in the rich neighborhood, immaculate lawns and gated driveways more intimidating than they should have been. He walked without care, though, hands shoved in his sweatshirt pockets and chin tilted upwards as he watched the manic play of emotions fly over Lavi’s features every time they passed under a streetlight. “I didn’t think you had the guts to talk like that to _anyone_.”

“Neither did I,” Lavi admitted, running his hand through his hair for the hundredth time since they’d parted ways with his friends only twenty minutes ago. They’d walked almost ten blocks in that time and Lavi still had no idea where he was going. “She just—she pissed me off so much.”

“I could tell.”

“She’s not usually like that,” Lavi added after a heavy breath. “I think she was just mad about the whole night in general. The fight was the tipping point.”

Allen listened, calmly taking in Lavi’s rushed and frantic comments and grievances. “She seems a little tightly wound.”

“You have no idea.” Rubbing his face, Lavi groaned. His body still itched for activity, for something to do to release the surplus of energy. The walk helped a little, but it wasn’t quite enough. He doubted he’d be able to sleep tonight. “Ugh, okay. Enough about Lena.”

“Agreed.” Allen grinned up at Lavi, a mischievous look in his silver eyes. “So, we ditched your friends. Now what?”

Lavi laughed, the weight of the night’s events crashing down on him all at once. “I honestly don’t know. I just picked a direction and started walking. This night has been too much. I’ve never been in a fight before.”

“Wow. First time at a high school party _and_ first time in a fight? That’s a lot of cherries to pop in one night.”

Red painted over Lavi’s cheeks, so bright it could be seen under the faint glow of the streetlight. “Please don’t phrase it that way…”

“Oh, I could phrase it a lot worse.”

Shaking his head, Lavi sighed again. He’d been doing that too much tonight. Not wanting to give Allen the chance to come up with more dirty euphemisms, he changed the subject. “Hey, thanks for jumping into the fight. You didn’t have to, but it was pretty awesome of you.”

“Nah, I kinda had to.” He looked away, tucking his hands deeper into his pockets. “Alma didn’t deserve to be treated like that. Besides, you were right. Silence is never the answer in the face of injustice.”

“Poetic,” Lavi said, a smile ghosting on his lips as they crossed the street and hit the next block.

“I can be, when the mood is right.”

Lavi glanced around their surroundings, but only found more houses with perfect lawns—though they’d walked far enough now that the houses grew smaller, less ornate. “Okay… I’m totally lost. Where are we?”

With a laugh, Allen wrapped an arm around Lavi’s waist and led him forward. “Don’t worry. You’re lucky I know my way around town.”

He felt Allen’s hand against his hip, warm and comforting, and Lavi started to wonder if the whole night had been a dream. It certainly didn’t feel real with his head still in a daze. “So, where are we?” he asked, hoping the night air would cool his burning cheeks.

“We just passed Westchester Avenue and Pine Street. There’s a park a few blocks ahead. We can text Tyki and he’ll give us a ride home.” He worked his phone with his right hand, typing as they walked.

“Oh,” Lavi let out the soft word, the excitement in his single green eye diminishing. “You…wanna go home already?”

“Not really,” Allen answered, still looking down at the screen as he typed with one hand. “I never want to go home. But I figured you would after everything that happened tonight.”

Picking at his fingernails anxiously, Lavi looked away. Allen’s hand was still on his hip, warm and inviting. Maybe that made him feel braver than he was, than he’d been in the past. “We were gonna leave the party, anyway. I just thought we could…spend some more time together. Y’know, figure things out between us.”

Allen’s fingers tightened on Lavi’s hip as he slipped his phone back into his pocket. He looked up at the redhead, an amused look on his face. “Has anyone ever told you how cute you are when you’re being awkward?”

Lavi snorted a short laugh, rubbing the back of his neck. “Not that I recall.”

“There’s a first time for everything.” He turned his gaze back to the sidewalk ahead of them. “Tyki will meet us at the park. We can get some food and see where the night takes us from there.”

The smile on Lavi’s lips threatened to crack his face in two. “I like the sound of that.”

* * *

Alma winced as Lenalee huffed out an angry breath for the tenth time since they’d gotten in the car. “I can’t believe him. _I can_ _’t believe him_ ,” she repeated, more to herself than anyone else. “He has a lot of nerve talking to me like that after everything that happened.”

The hot ball of anxiety and panic hadn’t lessened in Alma’s chest since the fight occurred and their friend’s bursts of anger did nothing to calm them. They leaned against Kanda in the backseat, head resting in the crook of his neck and pressed as close as his seatbelt would allow.

“And then to ditch us for _Allen_?” Lenalee continued, her hands gripping the steering wheel tighter than necessary. “Wait and see—that will get him into all sorts of trouble.”

Kanda pressed his palm against Alma’s thigh, warm and steady, before sniping back at her. “Give it a rest, Lena. You’re upsetting Alma.”

She looked back in her rearview mirror, the slant of her eyebrows softening. “Sorry, Alma,” she said, genuinely apologetic. She changed her tone of voice and spoke softer than before. “I’m just really frustrated with Lavi right now.”

“It’s okay,” Alma mumbled. They still couldn’t release the tension in their body, not with all the yelling and fighting going on that night, but at least Kanda was there. They didn’t know what they’d do without his steady, calming presence.

Kanda wrapped an arm around Alma’s shoulder, but kept his dark blue eyes focused on the back of Lenalee’s head. “You know, I don’t blame Lavi for leaving like he did. After how you acted tonight, I don’t want to hang out with you either.”

Alma stiffened, the tension flaring up again. “Yuu…”

“What?” he asked back, uncaring how blunt his words were. “She’s being unreasonable.”

“It’s not unreasonable to request that no one get into a fight when I’m not looking,” Lenalee replied, that anger creeping back in her voice.

“No, but you know it’s more than that. This is about Allen.”

“What? It is not—”

Kanda continued, interrupting Lenalee’s dismissal of his accusation. “You’ve made it clear that you don’t want Lavi hanging out with Allen. You have since he showed up at study night. And you’re especially mad because he hyped up Alma and Lavi to go to the party.”

Lenalee let out a sigh, not saying anything in return. She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel, keeping her eyes focused straight ahead.

“You can’t tell me you didn’t notice that Lavi likes him,” Kanda continued, pulling Alma closer.

“I noticed,” she said, the sour tone returning to her voice.

“Then back off a little. If you keep acting like this, he’ll stop hanging out with us for good.” Kanda ran a hand over Alma’s hair. “Besides, that beansprout jumped in to help me before Lavi did. He can’t be all that bad.”

Another sigh passed over Lenalee’s lips. Alma felt the car slow to a stop. When they glanced out the window, they saw Kanda’s house. “You’re right.” Lenalee gave in, leaning back into the driver’s seat as her shoulders slumped. She looked almost as stressed as Alma felt. “I’ll call him tomorrow and apologize.”

“Good.” Kanda unbuckled the seatbelt and left the car before helping Alma out as well. “Thanks for the ride.”

“No problem.”

When the fresh air hit Alma’s lungs, it was like a weight was lifted off their shoulders. They still felt a nervous tremor through their body, but it lessened enough that they could breathe. After saying their goodbyes to Lenalee, they headed up the walk towards the house. No lights were on, which meant Tiedoll must have already gone to bed. Alma doubted Kanda wanted to talk with Tiedoll before tending to his busted eyebrow.

Kanda unlocked the door and opened it as quietly as possible, relocking it after Alma had slipped in behind him. They moved around in the dark, used to the layout of the house and maneuvering without the aid of a light.

“Grab an ice pack from the freezer,” Alma whispered, moving past Kanda towards the stairs. “I’ll meet you in your room.”

Alma had expected an argument—Kanda rarely worried about his wounds and hated to be treated like a child who had skinned their knee—but he did as asked without complaint. Relieved, Alma slowly ascended the staircase, wary of each creak and groan of the old wood under their feet. They hurried as fast as they could to Kanda’s room down the hall, the tenseness creeping back in their shoulders as they passed Tiedoll’s room.

The hinges of Kanda’s bedroom door didn’t squeak as Alma entered, and for that, they were thankful. They slipped inside and turned on the light, the brightness blinding them until their eyes adjusted. Alma sat down on the disheveled bed, sighing softly and rubbing their tired eyes, not caring if they smudged their makeup. The night had been an utter disaster, but at least they were back home—or at least, the only place that felt like home.

Kanda joined them a moment later, closing the door slowly. Once it latched shut with a soft click, he locked the door and kicked off his shoes. “I’m never going to a Halloween party again,” he grumbled, shucking off his jacket and letting it fall to the floor.

Alma resisted sighing, that tight knot in their chest pinching at their heart. “Sorry. It was my idea to go and—”

“Stop apologizing,” Kanda cut them off, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he struggled to keep his anger in check. “You have nothing to apologize for. I’m mostly mad at that asshole—and Lenalee.”

Swallowing around the lump in their throat, Alma nodded and looked away. They took a breath to calm their frayed nerves, then scooted over on the edge of the bed, making room for Kanda. “Sit down. I need to look at your eye.”

“It’s fine,” Kanda said, but sat anyway. The ice pack was still in his hand, a thin layer of frost crystallizing outside of the blue plastic.

“Hush,” Alma whispered, pulling Kanda’s face closer. The cut wasn’t bad—they suspected the guy who’d punched him was wearing a ring—but it still needed tending. “We should put some antiseptic on it, at least. And maybe a bandaid. Here, put this on your eye so it doesn’t swell.”

Alma stood and walked to the dresser. Kanda kept a box of first aid supplies in one of the drawers. Though he and Alma usually used it to hide extra lubricant and condoms, there were _some_ actual supplies in it. After they unearthed the box, they brought it back to the bed, Kanda looking petulant in the harsh glare of his bedroom lamp. “Just hold still and let me clean this up. You don’t want an infection, do you?”

“No,” Kanda said, sounding more sulky than he meant to as he pulled away the ice pack. Alma simply smiled and ripped open an antiseptic wipe.

“Thank you, by the way,” they said as they pressed the wipe to Kanda’s bloody eyebrow. Kanda didn’t even flinch as the stinging medicine cleaned the wound. “For…defending my honor.”

It might have been a trick of the lights, but Alma swore there was a flush on Kanda’s cheeks. He fiddled with the slowly warming ice pack and kept his gaze away from Alma’s. “No one is allowed to talk to you like that.”

Alma’s smile widened as they cleaned the last of the dried blood off. “A true gentleman. Very noble of you, but your face is starting to look like ground meat.” The cut wasn’t too bad, but patches of black and red mottled across his skin—telltale signs of a black eye in the making.

“Worth it.”

Shaking their head, Alma wiped ointment onto the cut and pressed a fresh bandage over it. “Lucky for you, scars are sexy.” They leaned in and kissed Kanda, soft and chaste, before pulling away and packing up the supplies again. “Put that ice pack back on your eye.”

He sighed but did as Alma asked. Falling back into the bed, he looked up at the ceiling, ice slowly melting on his face. “Now I’m gonna own him one.”

“Who?” they asked back, setting the box on top of the dresser. There were a few makeup removing wipes tucked away in it and they thanked the stars they didn’t have to sneak into the bathroom to wash their face tonight. The wipes would do for now.

“Who do you think? That crazy beansprout. He fucking jumped that one guy. My face would’ve looked a lot worse if he hadn’t helped out.”

Alma giggled, wiping the cloth around their eyes to remove the mascara and eyeshadow. “Is that really so bad?”

“Yes.”

Another snicker slipped past their painted lips. “At least we know you haven’t lost your sense of humor after that blow to the head.”

“Tch.”

* * *

The smell of beef, ketchup, and mustard filled the air in the back of Tyki’s car as Allen greedily shoved a handful of fries into his mouth. After Tyki had picked them up at the park, Allen had demanded they get food at the closest place that was still open at five minutes to midnight—which only left the McDonald’s all-night drivethru. Tyki drove them without complaint, acting more like a chauffeur than a boyfriend as he pulled up to the window and ordered their food. Lavi has requested a simple order of a burger, fries, and a drink. But Allen’s order had dwarfed his. Burgers, chicken sandwiches, fries, a milkshake... he’d ordered so much that it almost made Lavi physically ill to watch him devour it all. The best part was that Tyki hadn’t even asked Allen what he’d wanted—he knew the order by heart. It made Lavi wonder just how many late night trips Allen went on with his boyfriend.

The sodium street lights glowed orange as they passed under them, the roads empty of any other vehicles. It felt like they were the only ones alive for how desolate it was. Cities never slept, people up and out at all hours of the day and night. But the suburbs? Everyone had a bedtime. Everyone turned their lights out at 10PM and didn’t think twice about it. Being out late in suburbia was akin to being the last survivors of the apocalypse—no one could stop you from doing whatever you wanted. The possibilities were endless. 

“Alright,” Tyki said, eyes on the road as he tapped the steering wheel with his fingers. “What kind of trouble do you want to get into tonight?”

Allen swallowed a mouthful of food, licking a smear of ketchup at the corner of his mouth. “That all depends on Lavi,” he said, turning to the redhead.

Lavi froze, a french fry halfway to his mouth. “Me?”

“Yeah, you.” Allen dug through the bag of food and fished out a few more loose fries. “Tyki and I can be out as long as we want. You’re the one with a curfew.” 

“How do you know I have a curfew?”

Allen chuckled. “Good boys like you always do.” 

Lavi flushed, looking out the window and staring at the darkened scenery as it passed by. He was starting to hate how easy it was for Allen to rile him up. But regardless, it was true—he was supposed to be home by midnight and he’d already missed that deadline by a few minutes. Now he was stuck with the age old question: to ask forgiveness or permission?

But, he felt brave—foolish even. It’d been the first time he’d ever purposefully disobeyed a rule either his mother or his grandfather had set for him. And since he would be late no matter what at this point, he might as well enjoy it, right? Besides, the later he came home, the more likely he’d be able to sneak back into the house without Gramps noticing. 

“I can stay out,” Lavi said, his voice less confident than he’d hoped. He took a breath and tried again. “I want to stay out with you.” 

Allen smiled—a genuine smile that Lavi had only seen a handful of times before. “Okay, then.” He leaned forward between the seats, close to Tyki. “Let’s go to the beach.”

Tyki chuckled and nodded. “Now there’s a good plan.” He turned the car around and hit the gas. 

Lavi felt his heart in his throat as he watched them leave town and pull onto the highway. He had no idea where they were going, but he couldn’t wait to get there. 

* * *

They drove an hour before Tyki finally took the off ramp and headed down the barely paved road. After Allen had devoured all his food, he fell asleep against Lavi’s shoulder, snoring softly. The sounds of classic rock filtered through the speakers and Lavi stared out the window, too caught up in the adventure to rest his eye for even a minute. Butterflies filled his stomach as they left the highway, Tyki driving slowly down the winding path that meandered between old pines, as if they were following a deer trail instead of an actual road. He’d been dying to know where they were going for the last hour.

“Are we almost there?” Lavi asked, sitting up straighter in the seat. The movement woke Allen and he grumbled quietly as he pulled his head off Lavi’s shoulder. 

“Almost,” Tyki said, glancing back in the rear view mirror. “Has sleeping beauty awoken?”

Allen stuck his tongue out as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. “Shut up, Tyki. You know eating a lot makes me tired.” 

“Mmm,” Tyki hummed in agreement, his focus returning to the road. “Well, at least you’re ready for a night of debauchery, right?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.” Allen yawned and stretched his arms over his head as best he could in the confines of the car. When he’d cleared the fuzzy lingerings of sleep from his body, he turned his gaze to Lavi. “More importantly, are you ready?”

“I don’t even know where we’re going.” 

“The beach,” Allen said, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. 

“What beach?” Lavi pressed, looking back outside into the black expanse. He couldn’t see anything besides what little the headlights illuminated—just country back roads and pines. If he hadn’t known any better, it would have been the perfect start to a horror movie.

The dense pines let up and Lavi could see the expanse of clear sky as they parked in a vacant lot. The lines on the pavement had worn off years ago, dirt and sand collecting on the edges of the lot. Tyki turned the car off and Allen bounded out of it before Lavi could blink.

Catching Lavi’s surprised look under the glow of the car’s dome light, Tyki chuckled. “He’s just a little excited. It’s his favorite place.”

Nodding, Lavi slipped out of the car as well. As soon as he did, the smell of salt on the wind slapped him in the face. There was a dull roar somewhere over the hill they’d parked by and a chill ran down his spine. When Allen had said beach, did he really mean...?

He followed Tyki, feet sinking in the sand as he wobbled back and forth. Hardy beach grass grew in tough spikes along the worn path and sand slipped into his shoes with each awkward shuffle. But as they reached the crest of the dune, everything fell into place. Allen had run ahead and was already at the edge of the shoreline, staring out into the endless blackness. Waves crashed over the sand and wind whipped off the water, cold and unforgiving like the embrace of death itself. Allen hadn’t simply taken them to any beach—he’d taken them to the ocean.

As he and Tyki caught up to Allen, Lavi couldn’t miss the grin plastered over Allen’s face. The wind whipped around them and Lavi kept pushing his messy bangs away from his face, but it was nothing compared to Allen or Tyki’s longer locks. He would’ve sworn a storm was on the way for how strong the gusts were, but the sky was clear—stars twinkling above and the moon bright and nearly full.

“Beautiful, right?” Allen asked as Lavi came to a stop next to him. His silver eyes were fixated on the ocean as the icy waves rolled over the shore. The silver moonlight glowed with an otherworldly light. Allen’s pale features always gave him a sickly look—ghostly, in a way. But out here, he was ethereal. 

“Yeah,” Lavi replied, watching the pitch black water churn only a few feet away. It made him feel small, insignificant, but _so alive_. 

Tyki stood on the other side of Allen and draped an arm over his shoulder, pulling him close. Lavi tried to look away, but the subtle intimacy drew him in like a fly to honey. He still didn’t know much about Tyki or Allen, yet had agreed to see where things went with them. It was exciting as it was terrifying.

“Was it worth the trip?” Tyki asked, leaning down so Allen could hear him over the crashing waves. 

“As long as you’re driving, yeah,” Allen replied, still staring out at the ocean. “Besides, I really don’t wanna go home tonight if I can avoid it.” 

“Ah, another one of those nights?” Tyki asked, fingers tapping gently on Allen’s shoulder. His voice was as deep and calming as ever. Lavi couldn’t recall a time when he’d seen Tyki lose his cool and composed aloofness. 

Allen grit his teeth, then pulled away. "Cross is on another bender. This one's lasted since Wednesday." He walked back from the water where a large tree trunk had washed ashore, bark stripped clean from the salt and surf. He sat down with a huff and crossed his arms, though Lavi wondered if that was less because of his frustration and more because of the chill in the air. "Booze and women, then more booze. I'm going to pour all his whiskey down the drain again if he's not sober by tomorrow."

Tyki stood with his back to the sea and watched him, hair flying in his face. "Want me to talk to him again?"

Shaking his head, Allen sighed. "Don't bother. It didn’t do shit last time."

Feeling out of the loop, Lavi moved closer, finding a seat next to Allen on the log. "Who's Cross?"

Allen got a sour look on his face, like he was constipated, and picked at his nails. "My guardian. Though, I swear I take care of him more than he takes care of me."

"He's fine—when he's not drunk," Tyki explained, tucking his hands into his pockets.

"And he's drunk most days," Allen added.

"Sounds shitty..." Lavi mumbled, his words nearly lost amidst the wind’s howl. 

"It is."

"Is there any place else you can stay? Not even with Tyki?" 

Tyki sat down next to Allen on the log, sighing as he looked out at the water. "My situation at home is a little chaotic at the moment."

Allen chuckled. "What he means is his family's nuts."

"That's the less polite way of saying it, sure," Tyki added, pulling out a cigarette. He cupped his hands around it as he tried to light it, the wind working against him with each flick of his thumb on the lighter. Lavi caught sight of the orange ember at the tip and a puff of smoke disappearing in the wind. "They're not happy with me, even on my best days. And they don't exactly approve of my relationship with Allen." 

"I believe the term they used was 'cradle robber'?" Allen offered, an amused grin sliding over his lips. "You're only twenty-three and they're already ready to disown you."

"Sheril won't disown me," Tyki countered, rolling his eyes.

Lavi only half-followed the conversation, but it didn't matter. "Al, if you need some place to stay for a few nights, you can always stay with me. Gramps won't care. He probably won't even notice."

Allen's mischievous smile turned soft as he returned Lavi's concerned gaze. "I'll keep that in mind."

It was hard not to blush at the way Allen looked at him, the hint of trouble in his silver eyes and the curve of his lips that promised more nights like this one. Lavi couldn’t defend against it—that look and all it entailed. He wanted more.

“So,” Lavi began his fingers picking at the thin jacket he wore, not warm enough to keep the biting wind from nipping at his skin. “Do you come here often?”

“No,” Tyki answered, taking another puff from his cigarette. “It’s usually crowded and too far to drive. But coming out at night? In the fall? It’s dead.”

“I’ve gone to the beach a lot, but never at night,” Lavi confessed.

“You didn’t know what you were missing.” Allen pressed his palms against the tree trunk under them and leaned back, kicking his legs out in front of him. “It’s nice to get out of town. We come when we can, when we know it’s empty and quiet.”

Lavi cast a look at the ocean and chuckled. “Well, I dunno about quiet. Those waves are pretty loud.”

“In a good way, though.” Allen leaned in closer to Tyki, looking up at him with that same grin on his face that Lavi had come to love. “The privacy is worth it.” He dug his hand in the front of Tyki’s shirt, pulling him down until their lips met in a long deep kiss.

If he hadn’t been blushing before, he knew he was in that moment. Lavi looked away, heart racing in his chest like the beating of a bird’s wings.

He’d never seen them kissing before or even holding hands. But their lack of obvious physical contact in mixed company meant little—even Lavi could tell they were a couple. The subtle intimacy, the looks and brushing of hands together, was enough to cement their status in his head. But now... now he was a part of it? Or at least he might be? He’d told Allen he wanted to see where everything went, to take it slow, but he still didn’t know what that meant, even to himself. Everything was chaos—beautiful, turbulent chaos. 

Allen pulled away from Tyki, humming happily to himself as he glanced back at the quiet redhead. “By the way,” he began, eyes still on Lavi as he leaned back against Tyki’s shoulder. “Lavi and I had a bit of bonding at the party.” 

Tyki laughed and took another drag off his cigarette. “Oh, do tell.” 

The wide grin on Allen’s face reached his eyes, teasing as he stared at Lavi. “He finally kissed me.” 

“Scandalous.”

“I didn’t—you kissed me.” Lavi rushed his response, lucky he managed to not stumble over his words. 

“Whatever,” Allen waved his hand as if to brush off Lavi’s correction. “The point is, we kissed.” 

Tyki flicked his cigarette, ashes lost to the wind. “You’re making me jealous. It’s not fair that you get to make out with Red and I don’t.” Though his words sounded jealous, his tone was anything but. 

Lavi, still flushed as red as a cherry tomato, scratched the back of his neck, awkwardly avoiding eye contact with Allen or Tyki. “Sorry.”

Tyki’s nonchalant smile grew, morphing into a replica of Allen’s mischievous grin. “If you’re sorry, you should fix it.” 

The response caught Lavi off guard. “W-What?”

“Yeah. Fix it, Lavi,” Allen added, grabbing his hand and dragging him to his feet. He pushed Lavi closer to Tyki, just in front of him, hands on his sides. “You gotta kiss Tyki now. It’s only fair.” 

His gaze met Tyki’s and the nervous knot in his stomach grew tenfold. Tyki and Allen watched him expectantly. Though his heart beat like the feet of a rabbit eluding a fox, he nodded. “O-Okay. If you want to…”

“I wouldn’t have asked otherwise,” Tyki assured him.

Lavi stood, unable to ignore the eyes following his every move as he took the few steps to stand in front of Tyki. His throat was dry and tight—not even the crashing of the waves behind him could distract from the furious beating of his heart. Tyki snuffed out the cigarette on the log next to him before resting both hands on Lavi’s hips. His chilled fingers slipped just under Lavi’s shirt, sending a shiver up his spine.

“Come closer.” Tyki gently tugged at his hips, pulling him down until he was on his knees, face to face. Tyki’s hands slipped up his sides, pulling Lavi between his legs until their noses touched.

Lavi smelled the tobacco on his breath and felt the warmth of it on his face before Tyki met their lips. He let out a muffled whine into Tyki’s mouth as they kissed, his hands tightening in the folds of his shirt as he leaned in. He tasted like cigarettes and smelled like cedar—nothing like the mellow sweetness of Allen’s kisses, but alluring all the same. Tyki’s kiss was strong and firm—unabashed. It was more mature than Allen’s kiss had been, but no less intoxicating.

He didn’t know how long they’d been kissing, or when exactly Tyki’s tongue had slipped into his mouth, but a surprised gasp caught in his throat as he felt hands on his shoulders.

“Now I’m getting jealous,” Allen teased, his voice but a whisper into Lavi’s ear.

With a deep-throated chuckle, Tyki pulled away and met Allen’s gaze over Lavi’s shoulder. “You’d better learn to share, boy.”

Allen grinned, white teeth gleaming in the moonlight. “I was never very good at that.” He turned Lavi around and pushed him back into Tyki’s lap before sliding his hands along his jaw and kissing him. The shift in mood was palpable. Tyki gripped his hips tighter, pulling him flush against his chest while Allen practically crawled into his lap, kissing him with an intensity he hadn’t felt when they’d kissed at the party. Allen took over his mouth like he was hungry for it—starving. His thumbs caressed his chin and throat as he held his head, fingers warm against his cold skin.

And then, when he thought things couldn’t feel any better, Tyki’s lips found his neck. Lavi sucked in a breath through his nose as he felt lips and teeth against the juncture of his neck and shoulders. Tyki sucked and licked and bit at the sensitive skin, his thumbs rubbing his hips just under Lavi’s shirt. He’d never been sandwiched between two people before. It was enough to drive him mad in all the best ways.

Lavi couldn’t move much. Allen had slipped in as close as possible, body right up against his chest while Tyki pressed in behind. He felt each move they made, their muscles working under clothes. The heat was near unbearable, even on the chilly beach. It was only as Allen rocked his hips against Lavi’s that he realized how turned on he’d become. There was a definite press of hard flesh tenting his pants and as Allen’s body rubbed against his own, Lavi moaned into Allen’s mouth, hot shame filling every atom in his body as the sound reverberated in his chest.

He flinched unconsciously away from Allen’s lips, suddenly too embarrassed to continue. Allen paused, looking into his face and panting softly as recognition flickered in his silver eyes. “Mmm, right. You wanted to take it slow.”

Nodding, Lavi averted his gaze. Tyki had stopped his loving assault on his neck and the wet kisses he’d left in his wake grew cold as the wind touched them. Goosebumps prickled up on his arms. “Sorry,” he mumbled, that insecure feeling creeping back into his guts like worms.

“Don’t be sorry.” Allen tilted his chin back towards him until Lavi stopped avoiding his eyes. “Never be sorry for saying how you feel.”

Tyki rested his chin against Lavi’s shoulder, sighing contently. “It’s not fun for us if you’re uncomfortable.”

“Just kissing for now,” Allen said, a reassuring smile on his lips. “Is that okay?”

“Yeah,” Lavi affirmed, thankful for the cool breeze keeping his burning cheeks from turning too red.

“It’s lucky for you,” Tyki began, pressing a gentle kiss to his neck once more. “That we’re both excellent kissers.”

As Allen leaned forward and stole his lips for another deep, hungry kiss, Lavi could only think one thing—

_What had he gotten himself into?_


	9. Firsts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Chapter Warnings**  
> NSFW - Sexual Situations
> 
> I'm finally back everyone! For those of you curious, I'm still in the middle of buying a house. Things are going well at the moment and we should close November 13th. Not sure when we'll be able to move into the new place, but we're trying to make it as soon as possible. This is stifling my creative juices with my life in such disarray, which means that this year's NaNoWriMo will be hard for me to compete in.
> 
> I'll hopefully get another chapter out for you all soon. In the meantime, please enjoy some bonding between Allen and Lavi...

_Well I haven’t memorized all of the cute things to say_

_But I’m working on it_

_Maybe I’ll master this artform someday_

_If I quote all the lines off the top of my head_

_Would you believe_

_That I fully understand all these things I’ve read_

_Trying_

_Lifehouse_

* * *

Boyfriends. _He had two boyfriends_.

Lavi still couldn’t believe it when he slipped back into his house as the sun came up the Saturday after the Halloween party. He’d fallen into his bed, skin still chilled from staying on the beach until the wee hours of the morning and lips numb from kissing too much. Allen and Tyki had stayed true to their words—they did nothing but makeout the whole night, reassessing Lavi’s comfort level whenever he seemed too tense or nervous. And even though he’d been awake for nearly twenty-four hours by then, he was too keyed up to sleep. His mouth still tasted like Allen and Tyki’s kisses.

His head spun, thoughts in disarray. But the madness in his mind was welcomed. Thinking about Allen—and now, Tyki—didn’t fill him with the guilt it once had. He was free to indulge his fantasies, free to imagine what he wished and eventually bring it into reality. 

Staring up at the ceiling, last night’s events played over and over again in his head. Allen’s lips on his, Tyki kissing his neck and shoulders, both their hands touching him, caressing him. Desire stirred in his stomach anew and he turned on his side, knees curled up towards his chest as he pressed his face into his pillow. Just thinking about it made him hard. 

With the sun creeping higher in the sky, Lavi closed his good eye against the light and slipped a hand past the elastic of his boxers. He sighed, excitement fluttering in his chest as he wrapped his fingers around the stiff flesh. After the first stroke, he wondered why he’d told Allen and Tyki he wanted to take things slow? This would’ve felt twice as nice if it was one of their hands instead of his own.

It felt like a repeat of the morning he jerked off to the dream of Allen going down on him, but instead of conjured images from his subconscious desires, he had memories to draw on, remembrances of touches and kisses and riding the edge of pleasure like an acrobat on a tightrope. He wanted his hand to be Allen’s or Tyki’s. He wanted them to touch him again and again until he—

A sudden loud banging on his bedroom door startled him out of his thoughts. He ripped his hand away from himself and grabbed a pillow to cover his obvious erection, heart palpitating a mile a minute. 

“Lavi! Get out of bed!” Bookman called through the door, voice gruff and loud. “We’re raking the leaves today, remember? I told you to be ready by seven!”

_Fuck_. Right, chores. He’d forgotten Gramps wanted him to clean the yard before it snowed. At least he hadn’t barged into his room—nothing would’ve saved him from that embarrassment. 

Lavi squeezed the pillow closer to himself and cleared his throat, hoping he didn’t sound too wrecked. “I’ll be down in a minute, Gramps!” His voice was gravely, but it was nothing he couldn’t blame on sleep. When he heard Bookman leave, the telltale sound of footsteps down the stairs, he sighed and pressed the pillow to his face. Maybe if he suffocated himself he wouldn’t have to leave his room. 

But he knew if he didn’t get up and moving in a few minutes, Bookman would be back to yell at him. And this time, he wouldn’t give Lavi the luxury of keeping the door shut. There was no time to finish what he started, but then again, the mood had been completely ruined. 

At only half-mast and falling fast, Lavi sighed and rubbed his face with his clean hand. It was probably for the best. He didn’t want to wash his sheets today anyway, especially if Gramps was making him do chores as it was. After pulling on some sweatpants he found on his floor and an old, stained sweatshirt, he headed downstairs for some breakfast, coffee, and back pain.

The raking took longer than Lavi had expected for such a small yard. He cursed at the abundance of maple and oak trees surrounding Bookman’s property, shedding their leaves in record time. At least they were gorgeous—vibrant yellows and reds covering the still green grass. It took him hours to rake and bag the debris, Bookman taking his time to carefully wrap the rose bushes and cut down the perennials. Some of the leaves were used to cover flower beds for the winter. The rest made their way to the back alley for disposal. By noon, his hands ached from gripping the rake and his back was sore, but the chores were done.

He limped back inside, complaining loudly to Gramps—which only earned him a sharp reply and a promise to ‘give him something to whine about.’ Lavi’s pace quickened so he could beat the old man inside and avoid that something.

Racing up the stairs, he hid in his room and collapsed on the bed, only realizing afterwards that he was covered in leaf litter and sweat. Maybe he’d have to change his sheets after all. Ugh.

As he lay face down on the mattress, trying not to think about how much his muscles hurt or how tired he was, his phone pinged. Sighing, he looked up at the offending object sitting innocently on his desk. He contemplated just leaving it, not wanting to move unless he absolutely had to, but curiosity won out. Grabbing the phone, he rolled to his back and looked at the notification on the screen—then froze. 

It was from Lenalee. 

_Lena 12:08PM_ — Are you busy?

Lavi stared at the text, chewing the inside of his lips as he read it over and over again. He hadn’t forgotten his argument with Lenalee, nor the frustration that had crept into his chest at her words. She had dismissed him with the ease of tossing expired food from the refrigerator. It still stung. 

But again, curiosity ate at his brain. She’d been so mad at him last night. What could she possibly want now?

_Lavi 12:15PM_ — Why?

His reply was brief and to the point, but less hostile than he’d wanted it to be. Locking the phone, he dropped it on the bed next to him and closed his eye against the bright afternoon sun creeping in past his curtains. For late autumn, it was still too bright and he was starting to get a headache from lack of sleep. It wasn’t the first all-nighter he’d pulled, but Bookman’s chores wiped him out. 

Teetering on the edge of blissful unconsciousness, the phone pinged again, dragging him out of sleep’s clutches. He snatched it off the bed and looked at the message.

_Lena 12:18PM_ — I want to talk to you about last night. Let’s go somewhere. I can pick you up. 

“Great, I’m never gonna get any sleep.” Lavi shook his head and typed out a reply. 

_Lavi 12:19PM_ — Give me 15 minutes. I gotta shower. 

_Lena 12:19PM_ — Okay. 

He stood, groaning as he ambled back to his feet. Everything hurt, even his toes. How did raking leaves take so much out of him? 

Knowing Lenalee would be exactly on time like she always was, he hurried to the bathroom to shower. The warm water helped his aching muscles. As much as his body protested getting out of bed, he felt better. When he was clean, dry, and dressed in fresh clothes, he headed downstairs, shoving his phone and wallet into his pockets before grabbing his jacket and scarf from the hook near the door. 

Before he could touch the doorknob, a shout came from the other end of the house—the living room, if he wasn’t mistaken. “Lavi, where are you going?”

He winced at the question, but continued out the door without stopping. “Lena’s picking me up. See ya!” Before Bookman could ask another question, he was out the door and down the porch steps. 

As expected, Lenalee’s car sat idle on the street. He caught her eye as he reached the end of the walkway and slowed his pace. The bitter, frustrated feelings from last night resurfaced and it took all his willpower not to turn around and head right back inside. But he knew Lenalee wouldn’t have called him out here just to argue with him again, so he entered in the car and sighed as he sat down. 

“Hey.” 

“Hey,” Lenalee repeated, her tone already sounding defeated. “Thanks for coming.” 

Buckling his seatbelt, Lavi settled back against the seat and stared straight ahead of him. “So, where are we going?”

Lenalee put the car in drive and headed down the street. “The mall. We’re meeting Kanda and Alma there.”

Lavi rested his elbow against the armrest and leaned towards the window, keeping his gaze on the scenery. The tension in the air between them grew sharp, still sour from last night’s argument. But he said nothing—she had wanted to talk, not him. She could damn well start the conversation.

As they turned onto the avenue, Lenalee cleared her throat. “After you left, I talked with Kanda and Alma. And I realize that I was… out of line last night. I’m sorry.”

The apology wasn’t completely unexpected, but it felt nice to hear it. Lavi’s shoulder’s relaxed, his stiff muscles unclenching as he kept his gaze locked on the window. “Thanks. I’m sorry, too—for leaving like I did last night.”

“I get it, though.” She sighed, eyes still on the road as she slowly drove through suburbia. “I was rude to you and the others—especially Allen.”

Pursing his lips, Lavi watched as his heavy breath fogged up the glass. The hot air blowing from the heating vents dried it up before Lenalee noticed. He didn’t say anything—he didn’t know _what_ to say.

“Look, I’ll be honest with you.” Lenalee paused, her nails picking at the steering wheel cover as she gathered her words. “I don’t trust Allen and it really worries me when you spend so much time with him.”

“I know,” Lavi replied, chewing on the inside of his cheek. “You said as much last night.”

“Yes, but you need to understand… He’s unpredictable—and prone to getting into trouble.”

“So is Yuu, but you don’t tell me to stay away from him.”

“Kanda’s different.” Lenalee glanced at him for only a second before turning her eyes back to the road. “He’s quick to anger, but easy to calm down. Besides, he’ll listen to me.”

“You mean you can control Yuu, so it’s okay?”

Another sigh passed Lenalee’s lips. “Now you’re putting words in my mouth.”

Lavi glanced at her, but he didn’t look long. Tension hung in the air, but it was lessening—slowly.

Lenalee continued, “I’m sorry for being a jerk last night. You know I’m just worried for you, right?”

“I know.” Lavi sat up straight in the seat, still chewing anxiously at the inside of his cheek. He tapped his fingers on the armrest. “But there’s nothing to worry about. I can take care of myself.”

“I know you can,” Lenalee agreed, using the same placating tone she always did when she didn’t actually believe him. “It’s just Allen—”

“Allen isn’t a bad person.” Lavi cut her off before she could finish her sentence, shooting a frustrated glare her way. “Why do you keep talking about him like he is?”

Pursing her lips, Lenalee nodded. “You’re right. I’m being judgmental.” She took a breath before speaking again. “He just has a reputation at school and I worry.”

“Well, stop. Like I said before, I can handle it.” Though her tone had changed, Lavi didn’t miss the holier-than-thou attitude that radiated from Lenalee. She may have padded her words, but they still carried the same message—Allen was trouble and she didn’t want Lavi to hang out with him.

He thought about telling her what had happened after they’d parted ways last night, about his and Allen’s budding relationship, but it was too soon. If Lenalee was still this worked up over it, he’d only ignite their argument from last night anew. The last thing he wanted was to be stuck in a car during a shouting match with Lenalee. Besides, she was his ride home.

“Lena, I like Allen. We have fun together and I want to hang out with him more. If you don’t like that, we’re gonna have a problem.”

“No, it’s fine,” Lenalee assured him, shaking her head. “If you want to hang out with him, I won’t say anything about it.”

It wasn’t exactly the answer he’d been looking for, but it would do. “Okay.”

They pulled into the mall parking lot, their conflict settled—at least enough for Lavi’s liking. Lenalee didn’t have to approve of Lavi spending time with Allen, she only had to stop arguing with him about it. For now, he’d keep his relationship with Allen under wraps. It wasn’t her business who he was dating, anyway.

The mall was busy, even for a Saturday, and they slowly made their way through the parking lot and into the food court. As soon as they entered the building, the cacophony of voices speaking over each other assaulted their ears. Children screamed, parents shouted, teenagers laughed. It was overwhelming, but the smell of cheap pizza and cinnamon buns filled the air and Lavi couldn’t bother to care about the noise—not when his stomach was screaming at him.

“I’m starving,” Lavi whined as they walked past each food stall, trying to find exactly what he was craving.

“Didn’t you eat lunch? It’s past noon.”

“Yeah, but Gramps had me out raking leaves all morning. I got your text right after I’d finished. I didn’t have a chance to eat.” Before he could make up his mind, he spied Kanda and Alma waiting in line at the taco stand.

Alma’s bright blue eyes lit up as soon as they saw them. “Lavi! I’m glad you came! I wasn’t sure Lena could get you to.”

He gave them an easy smile, not surprised Alma was worried. Of all his friends, Alma had always been the most empathetic—and he and Lena had never fought like they had last night. “Couldn’t say no to Cinnabons at the food court.”

Alma smiled widely. “We’ll hit that up next. I just need some real food first.”

“I don’t think the taco grande grease bomb counts as ‘real’ food,” Kanda grumbled as he paid for their meals.

“There’s lettuce on it! That’s a vegetable!”

“Barely.”

Lavi caught Kanda’s eye as he turned with the tray of food. He tilted his head, feeling like something was off. “Geez, Yuu. I was expecting you to have a black eye after last night. But you look fine.”

“He does have one,” Alma added, hiding a grin behind their hand. “I covered it up.”

“What?” Lenalee exclaimed, leaning in closer to look at Kanda’s face. Her eyebrows pinched tight as she scrutinized him and Kanda leaned back, clearly uncomfortable. “I can’t even see it.”

“I’m good with makeup,” Alma said shyly as they snatched a taco off the plate and took a bite.

“Apparently,” Lavi said with a grin. “Which eye is the black one?” He reached out to poke at Kanda’s left cheek, but before he could touch him, Kanda batted his hand away.

“Stop it,” he spat, glaring at Lavi as he turned to find an empty table to sit at.

Lenalee rolled her eyes, but couldn’t keep the smile off her face. “Lavi, aren’t you hungry? Stop bothering him and get some food. I’ll even pay for you.”

That got Lavi’s attention. “Oh, well—if you’re buying…”

* * *

Sunday morning, it snowed.

Lavi hadn’t noticed it until he meandered downstairs to get his morning coffee. Bookman had been up since dawn, but Lavi hadn’t crawled out of bed until twenty minutes to noon. He’d expected a lecture on sleeping in late, but his grandfather had let it slide—though he did tell him to shovel the walkway when the snow stopped. Lavi wasn’t excited about the prospect of shoveling snow all winter, but it was better than Bookman throwing his back out again.

For as exciting as Friday night had been, the rest of the weekend was a snooze. After his mall crawl with Lenalee, Kanda, and Alma, Lavi had come back home and napped until dinner. After that, he’d stayed awake late into the night, browsing his social media in between reading _Dr. Faustus_ for the next lecture in his advanced literature class. But it had been hard to focus on homework— _or anything, really_ —when his mind still lingered on his time spent with Tyki and Allen. Even now, his thoughts revolved around his two new boyfriends, wondering when he could see them again.

That snowy afternoon was no different. Lavi lazed about on the couch, sipping coffee and picking up his book from time to time to read a few lines before his thoughts drifted away like smoke on the wind. The story couldn’t hold his attention, not when he had Allen and Tyki on his brain.

As if on cue, Lavi’s phone buzzed on the coffee table, shaking him out of his haze. When he saw Allen’s name, a grin broke out over his face. He snatched the phone off the table and opened the text message.

_Allen 3:45PM_ — What are you doin?

Fingers flying over the onscreen keyboard, Lavi typed up a quick reply.

_Lavi 3:46PM_ — Just reading. Why what’s up?

The little dots appeared at the bottom of the text screen indicating Allen was typing and Lavi waited impatiently for an answer.

_Allen 3:50PM_ — Cross is still drunk. Can I crash at your place tonight?

Lavi’s heart leapt in his throat as he looked down at the words typed across the screen. Allen wanted to spend the night here? _With him_? His palms sweat just thinking about it.

He hesitated, chewing on his lower lip. His thumbs hovered over the screen. Saying yes meant more time with Allen, but it also meant no respite from his fluctuating emotions. Could he even handle it? Spending that much time alone with Allen?

Well… There was only one way to find out, wasn’t there? He typed quickly, writing out his response in record time.

_Lavi 3:59PM_ — Yeah I’ll tell Gramps you’re coming over to study.

_Allen 4:00PM_ — Already lying to your grandfather? I must be a bad influence.

_Lavi 4:01PM_ — You definitely are.

_Allen 4:02PM_ — Lol be there in less than an hour.

An hour… Lavi’s stomach twisted pleasantly at the thought. It wasn’t as if Allen hadn’t spent time at his house. He’d been here many times in the past month and a half when they had worked on the science project. Bookman had even met him once or twice in that time, but didn’t pay him any more attention than he had Lavi’s other friends. But this time—this time he’d be here as his boyfriend.

Nervous excitement swirled in his belly like an elixir, heady and strong. Unable to relax with the knowledge that Allen would be here soon, he hopped off the couch and went outside to shovel snow. If nothing else, it would keep his grandfather off his back for a while—and maybe he could use up the anxious energy thrumming through his limbs. 

Bundled up against the weather, Lavi headed outside. He grabbed the shovel off the front porch and went to work. The snow hadn’t collected more than a couple inches, but it had covered everything in its pure, white flakes. It still fell from the sky, soft and gentle like cotton or feathers. 

The scrape of the shovel against the cement walkway grated on Lavi’s ears. In this weather, no one else lingered outdoors and the snow padded more than just the ground. It dulled the noise, leaving the air around him hauntingly quiet. Compared to the boisterous noises that accompanied warmer temperatures—bugs and birds, lawn mowers and cars driving by, screaming children and barking dogs—the quiet that came with a fresh snowfall was beautiful and refreshing. Normally, it made Lavi want to sleep or enjoy a fresh cup of coffee while reading a book.

But today, even the snow and cold couldn’t slow him down.

As he finished the sidewalk thirty minutes later, a familiar car pulled up next to him, tires skidding against the fresh snow and ice. The plows hadn’t come through the suburban streets yet and likely wouldn’t for a few hours. It was a shock that the car could stop at all. 

The car door flew open and Allen ambled out, slinging a backpack over his shoulder as he stepped over the snow and onto the freshly shoveled sidewalk. Tyki grinned at Lavi from the driver’s side seat. “Hey, Red.”

“Hey,” Lavi returned with a bashful smile. 

“Be gentle with him,” Tyki warned. “He’s in a pissy mood.” 

“Oh, shove off,” Allen snapped, not bothering to look at Tyki as he kicked the snow off his shoes. 

Tyki laughed, unshaken by Allen’s poor attitude. “Text me when you need a ride tomorrow.” 

“Yeah, sure. Bye.” Allen kicked the car door shut. Grabbing Lavi’s sleeve he tugged him towards the house, not giving Tyki a second look. “Let’s go inside. I’m cold.” 

Lavi glanced behind him and gave Tyki a small wave before the car slid back onto the road and drove out of sight, tires spinning in the snow. Allen’s attitude gave him pause, but he swallowed down the unease creeping up his throat. Tyki might not have minded Allen’s behavior, but that didn’t mean Lavi was comfortable with it. 

As they entered the house and the door shut behind them, Allen sighed heavily and kicked off his wet shoes and coat. “You got anything to eat? I’m starving.”

Lavi perked up at the question as he unraveled his favorite orange scarf from his neck and hung it on the coat rack. “Yeah, lots of stuff. You want something in particular?”

“As long as it’s warm, I don’t care.” 

Nodding, Lavi pulled off his boots and headed down the hall. “Let’s go to the kitchen. I’ll make you something.” 

Allen followed after, an irritated scowl on his face. He said nothing in return. When they entered the kitchen, he sat down in one of the stools at the counter and folded his arms, burying his face in them. 

Lavi gave him a worried look before turning the oven on to preheat and pulling a frozen pizza from the freezer. “Are you okay, Allen?” he asked, green eye lingering on his boyfriend’s tense shoulders. 

“I’m fine,” he replied, the words coming out too quickly, as if they were nothing more than an automatic response to placate him. 

He felt his phone buzz in his pocket. Pulling it out, his eye widened as he saw Tyki’s name flash on the screen. He gave Allen a cursory glance before opening the message. 

_Tyki 5:02PM_ — Don’t take his mood personally. He’s had a bad weekend with Cross and the cold makes him cranky. Make him hot cocoa and he’ll calm down.

Lavi blinked at the message, surprised at Tyki’s proactive approach. He quickly typed a reply. 

_Lavi 5:03PM_ — Thanks, I will. 

Before he could shove his phone back in his pocket, another message came through. 

_Tyki 5:03PM_ — BTW you looked cute today. I wanna see you again soon for more than a minute. 

Lavi flushed bright red at the text and nearly dropped his phone, overcome with embarrassment. It wasn’t fair that he and Allen had such an effect on him. He struggled to type out a response that didn’t make him sound like a completely lovesick buffoon. 

_Lavi 5:05PM_ — Yeah, I would like that.

_Tyki 5:06PM_ — Good. Kiss our boyfriend for me. 

_Lavi 5:07PM_ — I will. 

Tucking his phone into his pocket, he tried to ignore the flush of red blazing across his cheeks and nose. He ripped the plastic off the pizza and set it on the counter, frozen pieces of shredded cheese sprinkling around it. Lavi glanced at Allen once more before placing a kettle on the stove.

“I’ve got pepperoni pizza. Is that okay?” Lavi asked as he headed to the cabinets, pulling out a packet of Swiss Miss.

“Yeah, it’s fine.” Allen’s words were muffled by his sweatshirt as he continued to hide his face in his folded arms. When he finally lifted his head, he squinted at Lavi suspiciously. “What are you doing?”

“Making pizza.”

“No.” Allen sat up straighter, elbows sliding off the counter. “That packet—is that cocoa?”

The hint of excitement in Allen’s voice left a smile tugging at the corners of Lavi’s mouth. “Yeah. It’s snowing after all,” he said, slyly. “Perfect weather for cocoa. I hope you like those little marshmallows.”

“Who doesn’t?” He leaned back in his chair, his sour mood already mellowing out into something more palatable. Silver eyes followed Lavi’s every move, calculating. “By the way… Thanks for letting me stay.”

Lavi’s fingers paused on the packet of cocoa in his hands before he could rip it open. He returned Allen’s gaze, his heart skipping a beat at the look his boyfriend gave him. “It’s nothing. I said you could stay any time and I meant it.”

“Mm, yeah.” Allen broke off his gaze and looked out the window, snow still slowly piling up on the window sill. “It’s just that people say a lot of things, but that doesn’t mean they’ll follow through.”

Fussing with the cocoa packet, Lavi chewed at the inside of his lip. “I suppose,” he began, trying not to stare too long at Allen. “But I’ll do it—follow through, I mean. Or at least, I’ll try my best to.” 

Allen let out a half-laugh, leaning forward and propping his chin on an upturned hand. “I hope you can manage it.” 

Lavi didn’t know how to respond, but the boiling water gave him a reprieve. The kettle sung as steam billowed from the spout and he turned to take it off the stove. He made quick work of the cocoa, pouring in the powder and marshmallows before adding the hot water. After fetching a spoon to mix it, he slid the steaming mug across the counter to Allen. 

“Here—something to warm you up.” 

Allen took it, cupping his hands around the mug and smiling. “Thanks.” He took a cursory sip before drinking down a larger gulp and Lavi swore Allen melted as he drank. His shoulders visibly slackened and the angry crease between his eyebrows disappeared. Tyki was right—cocoa did the trick. 

Not long after, the stove beeped at him as well, preheated and ready for the frozen pizza. Lavi slipped it into the oven and closed the door, turning back to Allen. “Okay, food’s in the oven. So, what are we going to do today?”

Licking his lips to rid himself of the cocoa mustache forming, Allen set the mug down, but didn’t pull his hands away from the warm ceramic. “As long as I don’t have to go outside, I’m game for anything.” 

Lavi drummed his fingers over the counter as he thought over their options. “I hooked up my Netflix account to the TV in the living room. We could watch something.”

“Netflix and chill?” Allen asked, a sly grin on his face.

“Or just Netflix,” Lavi croaked out, casting a wary eye to the doorway. “Remember, my grandfather is still here. I don’t think he’d let you stay over if he knew we were...”

Allen waved off Lavi’s concern with his hand and took another sip of his cocoa. “Don’t worry. I’m just joking. I know how to keep things quiet.”

Lavi couldn’t decipher whether he meant he would keep his hands to himself or keep quiet while fooling around, but it didn’t stop Lavi from flushing regardless. Clearing his throat, he went to the coffee pot to refresh his mug. It had gone cold after he’d shoveled and his fingers were still a bit chilled. “Speaking of keeping things quiet... I have a confession.” 

“Do you?” Allen’s eyebrows rose as he drank from his mug. 

Lavi watched as the dark coffee filled his cup, steam gently rising off the surface. “I... didn’t tell my friends that we’re dating. And I was kind of hoping... we could keep it a secret for now.” 

The quiet in the air between them sent chills down Lavi’s spine. And he rubbed his forearms through his sweater to warm off the unsettling feeling. After another mouthful of cocoa, Allen spoke up. 

“It’s not a good idea to keep secrets from friends, Lavi.”

“I know,” Lavi replied, a nervous undercurrent to his voice. “It’s just—I know Alma and Yuu won’t care. I’m pretty sure Alma already likes you and Yuu is always grumpy to everyone no matter what. But Lena...” 

“Mmm,” Allen hummed, watching his cocoa swirl as he tilted the mug. “The one you argued with at the party?” 

“Yeah.” Lavi brushed the red locks from his face and let out a heavy breath. “She apologized to me about our argument, but I could tell she still didn’t change her mind about the whole thing. Lena thinks—she thinks that you’re a bad influence on me.”

Allen laughed, shoulders shaking so badly he had to set his cocoa down so he wouldn’t spill it. He wiped a tear from the corner of his eye and smiled at Lavi. “Well, am I not?”

Lavi crossed his arms and let out an irritated huff. “Here I am defending you and you’re agreeing with her?”

Allen kept laughing, even as he drank down another mouthful of cocoa. “I’m the one who got you to cut class for the first time—how am I _not_ a bad influence?”

Pouting, Lavi grabbed his coffee. He’d expected Allen to be at least a little miffed at Lenalee’s judgmental comments—not laugh at them. “Well, I don’t care if you are or not. I didn’t like her attitude. So, I didn’t tell her.”

“That’s fine,” Allen added, watching Lavi with an amused face. “It doesn’t matter what she thinks—all that matters is you’re doing what you want to. It’s not her business what we do.”

Lavi nodded in agreement. “I’ll tell them all, eventually. I promise. I just… didn’t want another lecture.”

“That’s fair—and if you never want to tell them, I’d be fine with that, too. Like I said, it’s our business and no one else’s.”

Allen’s comments struck a chord in Lavi, something deep resonating in his chest. He held his mug of coffee close, the warmth radiating through his sweater. “Yeah… Just us.”

Hopping off the stool, Allen rounded the kitchen island and met Lavi on the other side. He reached up and grabbed the front collar of his shirt, much like he’d done to Tyki the night they’d gone to the beach, pulling him down for a soft, warm kiss. Lavi tasted the chocolate on his tongue as it slipped into his mouth, humming pleasantly.

When they parted, Allen’s hand lingered on his chest. “So, what should we do tonight? Just us?”

Lavi flushed, averting his gaze as Allen pressed in close. “Well…”

This time, Allen’s mouth tasted like the pizza they’d just eaten, the crumbs still dusted on the coffee table. The television was set on low volume, dialogue barely audible over the sound of Allen’s breath in his ear. He couldn’t remember how long they’d been kissing, but it was long enough to leave his lips sore in the most impossibly delicious way.

Bookman had retired to his room over an hour ago. With the prospect of getting walked in on minimized, Allen and Lavi’s hands wandered more and more, until Lavi found himself pinned back against the arm of the couch with Allen’s weight settling on his hips. Still, there was that ever present danger of getting caught mid-makeout lingering in the air. It added to the excitement, the danger, and _God_ , it turned Lavi on.

This was more intimate than the last time they swapped spit. Perhaps it was because it was the two of them? Lavi still hadn’t gotten the hang of kissing two people at the same time yet. Or it might have been the atmosphere—there was something too cozy about making out in the dim light of the television while it snowed, curled up on the couch with blankets and pillows cushioning them. Whatever it was, it twisted Lavi’s guts up in the most pleasant way, tight and hot and _oh so_ hungry.

A soft moan rumbled in Lavi’s throat as Allen shifted his hips. In that moment, he realized how evident his excitement had grown. The stiffness confined in his jeans pressed into Allen’s hip as he shifted his weight, drawing another groan from him. Lavi tried to move his hips to make his boner less obvious, but the more he moved, the more the hard flesh dug into Allen’s hip.

With a throaty chuckle, Allen pulled back from their kiss just enough to meet Lavi’s half-lidded gaze. “Little worked up, are we?” he whispered.

“S-Sorry.” Lavi cleared his throat and tried to pull away, but Allen kept him close.

“Don’t be sorry. It’s not my first time feeling a dick, you know.”

“I know,” Lavi replied, hoarse. He sank back into the couch cushions, hoping they’d eat him whole just to avoid the embarrassment.

Allen, however, took his shrinking away to mean something different. He pulled back, a hand resting lightly on Lavi’s arm. “Hey, it’s okay. I know you want to go slow. I won’t do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”

Lavi swallowed, his throat bobbing with the action as he twisted his fingers into Allen’s oversized sweatshirt. He wanted to say something, the words burning on the tip of his tongue, begging to be set free. “Um… Actually…” He turned his head to the side, face illuminated by the soft glow of the television. “I… I could go a little faster.”

Surprise registered on Allen’s face before he broke out into a conspiratorial grin. “Oh, really? It’s barely been three days. Do you know the meaning of slow?” he teased, splaying his right hand over Lavi’s stomach. The muscles jumped under his exploratory touch. 

If Lavi could have flushed a deeper shade of red, he would have. “Al, c’mon. Don’t be mean.” 

“I’m not,” Allen assured him, leaning in again to press feather-light kisses along his neck. Lavi exhaled, hips gently rubbing against Allen’s. His fingers slid along the edge of Lavi’s pants, slow and delicate. Too tempting. “If I’m mean to you, you’ll know.” 

Lavi swallowed around the excited lump in his throat and tightened his hold in Allen’s loose sweatshirt. He felt the soft pressure of fingers pushing up his sweater, then slowly sliding down into his still buttoned pants. His fingers brushed against the stiffness hidden under his boxers and Lavi jolted at the intimate touch. “Allen— _wait, wait, wait_ —” He tried to scramble away from the touch, but there was nowhere to go. His back was flush against the couch and Allen had him pinned down. “We should—we should go to my room or something.”

“Why?” Allen asked, that confident, sexy tone ringing in his voice. The one that made Lavi’s insides turn to goo. “Part of the fun is the danger of getting caught.”

“But I— _nnnnnn_...” His argument died on his tongue, replaced with a deep, satisfied moan. Allen thumbed over the tip of Lavi’s cock, finding a pearl of precum already beading at the slit. 

Snickering, Allen tucked his face in the crook of Lavi’s neck. “Stay that loud and we’ll definitely get caught.” He popped open Lavi’s pants, giving him room to wrap his fingers around Lavi’s length to stroke it. He let out a heavy breath, the warmth blowing across Lavi’s skin. “Is this okay?”

“Yes— _Allen_ —” Lavi bit his lip, hips arching into Allen’s touch of their own volition. He melted back against the couch, chest rising and falling rapidly as he tried to keep himself from moaning again. Gramps might have gone to his room, but it didn’t mean he was asleep—and too much noise would grab his attention. The last thing he wanted was his grandfather to see him getting a handjob from his boyfriend.

But, _oh_ , it felt good. Too good. Amazing, even. Lavi had jerked himself off hundreds of times before, but this was different. Allen’s hand felt foreign to him. With each stroke, he edged Lavi closer to the precipice. The hum of pleasure twisting around in his guts grew faster than ever before. No one had touched him like this—no one. He swallowed, excitement sending his heart fluttering in his chest.

Reaching between them, he tugged at Allen’s pants. “Al—you, too.” He felt Allen’s dick pressed up against his thigh, and though he was enjoying the attention Allen lavished him with, it felt guilty not to reciprocate.

Allen groaned into his neck as Lavi’s fingers dipped into the waistband of his ragged jeans. “Mm, you want to?” he asked, swiping his thumb over the head of Lavi’s cock faster.

“O-Of course,” Lavi stuttered, closing his eye to calm his flaring arousal. If Allen kept up that pace, he’d cum right then. “What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn’t?”

“A shitty one.” Allen paused his rushed stroking to undo his pants, letting out a soft sigh as the tight fabric of his jeans loosened from his stiff flesh. He kissed Lavi’s neck, letting his cock fall out between them. “You wanna just—?”

“Y-Yeah,” Lavi replied, reaching between them. He grabbed Allen’s cock, tentative in his touch as he wrapped his fingers around the velvety rod. His nerves knotted up his stomach like rope. Allen’s dick— _he was touching Allen_ _’s dick_. Of course, since he’d never been jerked off by another person before, he’d never done the jerking to someone else, either. However, as soon as Allen began stroking him again, his hesitation dissolved like a spoonful of sugar poured into a cup of coffee. He made his first stroke over Allen’s flesh, then another and another, matching Allen’s speed on his own stiff length.

The sound of their mutual masturbation barely registered over the hushed noise of the TV in the background. Lavi listened to the wet sound of skin on skin as they pumped each other’s cocks between them. The ever present worry that his grandfather could catch them any second lingered on the edge of his thoughts. But the longer they stroked each other, the less he cared—and the more aroused he became. Allen was right—the danger _did_ make it more fun.

With his stomach knotted up in pleasure, Lavi rocked his hips to meet with Allen’s quick movements. “Al, I—it feels so good,” he mumbled.

They panted together, hot and heavy breaths mingling in the air between them. “Yeah, I know,” Allen whispered back, his voice hoarse and _wrecked_. Lavi had never heard him sound like that. He wanted to hear it _more_. “Keep going. I’m a-almost there.”

“ _Ah_ , Allen,” Lavi whined, the blood pumping faster in his body, pounding in his ears so loudly that all he could hear was the furious beating of his own heart and Allen’s muffled whines. It drove him harder, faster, pushing him to tease Allen and lather him up into as much of a mess as he had done to Lavi. Raw hunger gnawed at his insides—desperate and needy.

Then, it hit him.

He came hard into Allen’s hand, cum spilling between his fingers and soiling his shirt and jeans. The intensity of his orgasm took him by surprise, so much so that he choked on a gasp, biting his lip to keep from groaning loud enough to rattle the windows. His pace on Allen’s dick stumbled, rhythm ruined as all his focus drew in on his own lust. But after a few seconds, just long enough to clear the cobwebs from his head, he stroked his boyfriend faster.

Allen buried his face into Lavi’s neck, panting and smothering his moans in the flushed skin. His hips arched into Lavi’s touch, chasing after the friction. It only took another minute, two at most, for Allen to join him in completion. He spilled himself onto Lavi’s stomach, their cum mixing against his skin and messing his clothes. Allen’s trembling arms could no longer hold himself upright and he collapsed against Lavi with a groan.

A soft _‘oof’_ blew past Lavi’s lips at the weight on his chest, but he recovered quickly. His clean hand fell unconsciously against Allen’s lower back, holding him close as they struggled to catch their breath together.

“That was—just—” Lavi began, cutting himself off to suck in another breath. “Wow.”

Allen chuckled, face still buried in the crook of his neck. “Not bad for a handjob.”

Lavi let out a contented sigh. “We should maybe clean up. We’re… kind of a mess.”

“But in the best way.” Allen reluctantly sat up and made a face at the mess of cum between them. “Ugh, gross. I hope you have some clothes I can borrow.” He fixed his pants as best he could, tucking himself back inside. Lavi followed suit, though the globs of cum made everything uncomfortable.

“Yeah, I think I have something that’ll fit you.” After Allen hopped off his lap, Lavi stood. His legs bowed, limp like noodles, and all he wanted to do was lay back down and go to sleep—preferably with Allen right next to him. “C’mon, let’s get cleaned up.”

As Lavi climbed the stairs to his room, Allen in tow, he wondered if they would do this sort of thing every time Allen spent the night? His heart jumped into his throat at the thought. If that were the case, he’d have to invite Allen over more. A lot more.


	10. Unlovable

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ***Chapter Warnings***  
> \- NSFW; Sexual Situations   
> \- Breaking and entering   
> \- Allusions to abusive home life   
> \- Homophobia/Homophobic parents
> 
> Hello everyone! 
> 
> Sorry for the long wait for the new chapter. I moved into my new house this month and I'm still settling in. There's so much to do and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. Hoping to have my office space ready soon so that I can get back to my writing routine. The new place is great and so are my neighbors. I'm very happy! 
> 
> As always, I hope you all enjoy the chapter! Kudos/comments are always welcome and appreciated! Thank you!

_The face_   
_That’s staring through the tiny crack in the door_   
_Eyes so wide_   
_He’s never seen a woman fall on the floor_   
_I swear daddy’s killed her this time_

_Neverland_   
_Darren Hayes_

* * *

The art room smelled like old paint and clay, with a hint of turpentine. Alma’s nose twitched as they thinned the deep green color on their palette tray, making the paint easier to work with. They added a bit of white to it, mixing the colors until completely incorporated. With a sigh, they applied the new, lighter color to their canvas, slowly highlighting the darker green leaves.

They wished they had the same concentration as Kanda did—their boyfriend sat at the table next to Alma’s easel, quietly looking through the photographs he’d taken over the week and choosing the best shots out of the lot. His focus was unshakable when he was really concentrating on something. Alma’s focus, on the other hand, was more like that of a squirrel’s—easily distracted by any slight sound or movement. And right then, Alma’s mind was preoccupied with their friend.

“Where do you think Lavi is today?” they asked Kanda, running the brush through the green paint again, pushing the color over the palette. They spoke softly, keeping their voice low enough to be lost in the hum of their fellow students’ chitchat and the old radio that Tiedoll kept playing all day long. Kanda could hear them, though, and tilted his head to the side. His eyes never left the photos as he continued to sort through them.

“Who knows.”

Alma lifted their paintbrush to the canvas again, but pulled back before it could make contact. “I mean… he’s missed class at least three times this week. But I see him in the hall.”

“You keeping tabs on that idiot now?” Kanda asked, grimacing at a particularly bad photo before trashing it.

“No, but it’s hard not to notice.” They sighed and set the palette down, rubbing their eyes to try and clear their thoughts. “What if he’s mad at us?”

Setting his photos on the table, Kanda turned his attention fully to Alma, an unamused look on his face. “Lavi’s not mad at us.”

“But,” Alma began, shifting from the stool in front of their easel to the chair next to Kanda. “But what about the party? And what Lena said? What if he’s—”

“If he’s still mad about that, he’d be mad at Lena, _not us_. We’re not the ones who argued with him.”

Kanda was right, of course. Alma knew he was right. But deep in the back of their mind there was still that little voice that whispered into their ear, feeding them questions and insecurities and worries that didn’t belong in their head. “Still… he might think we agreed with her. Maybe we should talk to him about it?”

“Don’t get in the middle of it, Alma. Seriously.” His shoulders slumped as he leaned an elbow on the table, already exhausted with the conversation. “It’s not our business.”

Chewing on their lip, Alma looked away and sighed again. They should have known Kanda wouldn’t be up for anything that had the slightest whiff of drama. There was no use arguing with him, even if they still felt partially responsible for Lavi’s change in behavior. “Fine.”

“Thank you,” Kanda said, brushing his fingers against Alma’s knee under the table. They flushed at the touch, looking away from their boyfriend’s unwavering eyes. No one in the classroom could see the touch, but it still made their heart skip a beat at the bold move. Kanda rarely was affectionate in public.

“Do you think Lavi will come to study group tonight, at least? I need help with my math homework again.”

Kanda shrugged and went back to sorting through his photos. “Maybe.”

Before Alma could dwell on the question longer, Tiedoll crossed the room and turned the volume down on the radio. Students lifted their heads at the change of atmosphere, all eyes turning to their teacher.

Tiedoll smiled, wrinkles gathering at the corners of his eyes as he looked out at the class. “Sorry for the interruption, kids. But I wanted to remind you all that there’s only three more weeks until the art fair. Make sure to have your projects finished and turned in to me before Thanksgiving break.”

Three weeks. Alma looked back at their painting and smiled. They’d been working on it for weeks already and it was close to finished. Oil paint was a finicky medium to work with, even on the best days, and Alma was far from an expert. They were more comfortable drawing than painting, to be honest. But Tiedoll had convinced them to try something new for the fair this year. Alma couldn’t say no.

The canvas was over half covered in paint, the image slowly taking shape. They’d chosen to do a still life of lotus blossoms in a pond. They’d taken the reference from one of Kanda’s photographs from a summer trip to the zoo. One of the exhibits was a koi pond full of lotus and fish. Alma had always loved the picture and hoped to bring it to life on their canvas, but it was a slow process.

Picking up the palette again, they ran their brush through the green paint. They tilted their head to the side, fretting over each little flaw and errant brush stroke. “Do you think it will do well in the art fair, Yuu?”

Looking back up at Alma’s painting, Kanda gave them a small smile, his usually hard eyes softening. “It will. Everything you create is beautiful.”

Alma flushed brighter this time, surprised at how soft Kanda was today. It made their heart lighter, warmer, and they couldn’t help the pleased smile from spreading over their face. “I hope you’re right.”

“I know I am.”

* * *

Lavi glanced left and right, looking down the desolate third floor hallway as a nervous tremor thrummed through his body. His heart beat as if he’d just finished a mile run and a panicked sweat prickled along his hairline. “Are you sure we should do this?” he whispered to Allen, leaning in closer.

“You wanted some alone time. This is the best place for it.” Allen grinned as he twisted the bent paperclip in the supply closet’s lock, working each of the locking mechanisms. He’d been at it for almost a minute by then and the longer they lingered in the empty hallway, the more agitated Lavi grew.

“Yeah, but you never said anything about breaking and entering.” Cutting morning classes was one thing, but Lavi didn’t like the idea of picking locks and sneaking into places they weren’t supposed to go. He had a difficult time not worrying about how much trouble they’d be in if they were found out.

Allen chuckled under his breath and shook his head, white bangs falling into his eyes. “Live a little, Lavi. Don’t you want to have more fun in your life?”

Rolling his good eye, Lavi sighed. He kept nervously checking the hallway for any signs of life, but the continued absence of students or teachers didn’t help his nerves any. “I was thinking more along the lines of a road trip or playing a new videogame. Not committing a crime.”

“You only get in trouble if you get caught.”

Another sigh passed over Lavi’s lips. “That’s a charming take.”

“Besides,” Allen began, testing the doorknob and casting a smug smirk towards Lavi as it opened with ease. “I’ve got a few games we could play—if you’re up for it.”

Lavi felt no relief as the door opened to them, but the look on Allen’s face had him hurrying into the closet. As they slipped inside and closed the door behind them, he realized how much of a mess his life had turned into since he had started dating Tyki and Allen.

Chaotic was the only word he had for it. Tyki and Allen did what they wanted, when they wanted, and no one could tell them otherwise. Half the time, Lavi felt as if he was a passenger along for their joyride. It had only been a week, but he already spent more time with them than he did with his other friends—or in school, for that matter.

Allen took every chance he could to drag Lavi along on his truant adventures, cutting class and persuading Lavi to join him. Lavi knew he could say no—Allen always gave him an out and never pushed him one way or the other. But it was hard to say no when he smiled at Lavi like he was the most important person in the world. He was such a pushover.

He still hadn’t mentioned their relationship to his friends, keeping it under wraps until he felt comfortable enough to tell them. But the last time he’d seen Lena and the others at lunch two days ago, he still felt her judging eyes on him. He hadn’t stopped spending time with Allen and she hadn’t grown any less irritated with his decision.

But it was hard to worry about what his friends thought when Allen sucked on his neck like _that_.

Paper reams, filing folders, and boxes of paper clips jabbed into Lavi’s back as Allen pressed him into the supply shelf, the metal frame rocking slightly from the weight. Lavi let out a soft moan as Allen climbed him like a tree—leg hitched up around his hip, fingers digging into his shoulders, and mouth latched onto his neck like a vampire.

“A-Al, don’t leave a mark,” he mumbled out, still trying to stay quiet in case someone walked past the supply closet.

Allen pulled away, a soft chuckle rumbling in the back of his throat. “Then how will people know you’re mine?”

Lavi made a noise between a choked sob and a groan, unable to articulate exactly how that comment affected him. All he could do was grab Allen and kiss him with the same intensity. Allen moaned into his mouth, arms curling around his neck and dragging him closer. Slipping his tongue into Lavi’s mouth, he tugged at his red hair, devouring him with a hunger that should have frightened Lavi. Of course, it was easy to ignore the apprehensive part of his brain when Allen rocked his hips against his so perfectly.

“Mm, Lavi,” Allen mumbled against his lips as one of his hands snaked down between them. Lavi’s breath hitched in his throat as he felt Allen’s nimble and talented fingers slip over the tented fabric of his jeans.

Swallowing down a groan, Lavi’s hips twitched into Allen’s palm to chase after the sweet friction. The reaction must have pleased Allen—he rubbed Lavi’s cock through the rough fabric of his jeans as he smothered their mutual moans with his mouth. Lavi’s knees went weak at the touch and he grabbed the shelf behind him to steady his legs.

“God, Al,” he whispered between kisses. “That feels— _ah_ —feels so good.”

“Mm, yeah it does.” Allen pressed the heel of his palm against Lavi, fingers cupped under his balls. When Lavi whimpered, a wicked grin spread over his face. “Can you keep quiet? I want to try something.”

Lavi nodded, short and quick, impatient to see what Allen had in mind. “Y-Yeah,” he whispered, already hoarse and wrecked from what little they’d done. “I think so.”

With deft fingers, Allen unbuttoned Lavi’s pants. As the fly came undone, he slipped his hand inside—past the waistband of his underwear. Lavi sucked in a sharp breath, heart in his throat at the intimate touch. His cock twitched under Allen’s cold fingers and he readied himself for Allen to jerk him off like he’d done so many times in the past week alone. But instead, Allen’s hand ghosted over his cock, then pulled his underwear down to expose him further. Allen sunk to his knees and wrapped his fingers around the base of the redhead’s dick.

Confused, Lavi stared down at him, cheeks flushed. “Al?” He could barely make out Allen’s face in the dark closet, the only light coming in from the crack under the door. But he felt Allen’s breath on his skin, warm and inviting as he gently held his cock.

Allen glanced up at him and even in the dark, Lavi couldn’t miss the mischievous smirk on his face. “Remember to stay quiet.”

The gears in Lavi’s mind finally clicked into place, realizing what Allen was about to do. A nervous tremble ran through his limbs. “A-Allen, you don’t have to do that, y’know. We can just—”

“Do you not want me to?” he asked back, lips poised and ready to lavish Lavi with pleasure.

“I do,” Lavi admitted, more easily than he expected, “But I don’t want you to think you have to.”

“I don’t do anything because I have to,” Allen said, voice low and confident. “I do what I want. And right now, I want to blow you.”

“O-Okay,” Lavi whispered. He reached out, tentative in his touch as he slipped his fingers through Allen’s silky white hair. “If you want to, I want to.”

Grinning, Allen leaned into Lavi’s touch. “Good. So, will you be quiet and let me suck you off already?”

“Ah, yeah. Sorry,” Lavi mumbled, pulling his hand away from Allen’s head. But before he could untangle his fingers from those colorless locks, Allen grabbed his wrist and put his hand back on his head.

“You can pull my hair if you want.”

Lavi parted his lips to speak, but no words came out. Instead, he slowly slipped his fingers back into the strands, giving a cursory pull to test the waters. Allen hummed, pleased at the light tug—then went in.

Allen’s mouth felt warm and wet and so inviting. Lavi gasped as his tongue hit the underside of his cock, fingers tightening in Allen’s hair as he savored the feeling. He slapped his free hand over his mouth to keep any more noises from slipping past his lips. He would kill himself if someone caught them—not only from the embarrassment of being caught mid fellatio, but because Allen would have to stop the delightfully nasty things he was doing with his mouth.

Sliding down to the base of Lavi’s cock, Allen hummed low as he sucked and worked his tongue around the hard flesh. Lavi felt the vibrations off Allen’s tongue and his nose pressed into his abdomen, buried in the short curled hair at the base of his dick. With each bob of his head, his cock hit the back of Allen’s throat. For a split second, he worried Allen would choke, but he continued to suck without stopping.

Sighing, Lavi felt his guts twist up with pleasure. He rocked his hips into Allen’s mouth without thought. As he felt that delicious heat constrict around his length, Allen moaned. The sound alone almost made him cum right there. Lavi bit his lip and pulled on Allen’s hair again, harder this time, and earned the same delightful noise rumbling in the back of his throat.

“Ah, fuck. Allen…” he whispered, breath already uncontrolled and erratic. The supply shelf behind him creaked and groaned as he shifted his weight, concentration split between not choking Allen on his dick and finding more wet friction on that talented tongue.

Allen’s hands slid up Lavi’s hips, holding him still as he picked up the pace. Bobbing his head quicker, he worked his mouth over Lavi’s cock, precum and spit collecting at the corners of his pink lips. Lavi’s knees went weak at the faster pace, panting as he struggled to breathe evenly. Everything felt so good.

He didn’t want it to end.

But that burning heat crawled in through his guts like a centipede, leaving a trail of hunger in its wake. He was close—close enough that his toes curled in his sneakers as he gripped Allen’s hair tight enough to lose feeling in his fingers. With his mouth hanging open, he desperately gasped for air between waves of pleasure—wanting to cum, yet not wanting it to be over so soon. But no matter what he wanted, his body had a mind of its own. One flick of Allen’s tongue and he was cumming down his boyfriend’s throat like a burst pipe.

“Nnnff—” Lavi shoved his hand against his mouth to stifle the moans trying to escape his throat as he came into Allen’s mouth. His body stiffened, rigid against the supply shelf as his cock pumped between Allen’s lips to milk the last of his orgasm. As he came down from the high, he took a deep breath, exhaling through his fingers. He released Allen’s hair with trembling fingers. Allen had drank his cum down like it was nothing. Lavi couldn’t believe how much that turned him on. “Wow.”

Pulling off Lavi’s slowly softening cock, Allen grinned up at him before ambling back to his feet again. “Good to know you liked it.”

“Liked?” Lavi whispered back, hoarse and still struggling to breathe properly. “I think that’s a bit of an understatement.”

Lavi rested his hands on Allen’s shoulders, pulling him in for a long, appreciative kiss. He tasted the salt of his own cum on Allen’s lips and tongue. He’d expected it to gross him out, but instead… it made his heartbeat quicken and his blood warm all over again. Then again, there were a lot of things that he did with Allen that he didn’t realize he’d be into.

As they kissed, he reached down for Allen’s pants and popped the button open. Before he could slip his hand inside, Allen pulled back and stopped him.

“What are you doing?” he asked, breath hot on Lavi’s face.

Lavi faltered, his hand retreating from Allen’s pants. “I just thought—well, you did that for me, so I should—”

Shaking his head, Allen rested a hand against Lavi’s cheek. “You don’t have to do that now.”

“But—”

“Lavi,” Allen whispered, pressing himself up against the redhead’s body. Lavi felt the stiff outline of Allen’s erection through his pants. “I know you haven’t given a blowjob before. Do you really want your first time trying it to be in the supply closet at school?”

Allen had a point—he wasn’t exactly skilled in that area. “No, not really. But you did it for me.” He felt selfish not reciprocating, like he was taking advantage of Allen somehow.

“It’s fine. I can wait. It’s best not to make a big mess here and I don’t have a change of clothes if cum gets everywhere.” Allen ran his hands up Lavi’s chest, curling them around his neck and pulling him down until their noses touched. “Just keep kissing me until the lunch bell rings. Then we can sneak out of here and have Tyki pick us up. Sound good?”

Lavi tried to swallow, but found his throat dry with anticipation. Even in the dark of the closet, Allen’s silver eyes were hauntingly beautiful. “Yeah, sounds good.”

The grin that spread over Allen’s lips made Lavi’s stomach flip. “What are you waiting for, then?” Before Lavi could speak, Allen kissed him, dragging him down to meet their lips. A soft whine rumbled in Lavi’s throat.

How could he say no to Allen when he kissed like _that_?

* * *

The driveway was empty and Alma felt a rush of relief as they walked towards their small, two story house. Tonight’s study session ran long—mostly because Lavi hadn’t shown up again and Lenalee had to help them and Kanda with their math homework alone—and Alma couldn’t get home later than seven. Not if they wanted to have a peaceful night, at least.

Opening the front door and kicking off their shoes, they glanced around the living room. They heard the soft clacking of pots and utensils in the kitchen and smelled the warm, rich scent of beef and potatoes wafting through the air. Tightening their grip on their backpack strap, they meandered into the kitchen.

Their mother was busy at the stove, attempting to keep a small pot of corn from boiling over. She had on her usual pair of leggings and a long-sleeved shirt, dark hair done up in a bun to keep it out of her face as she worked. When she heard Alma’s approach, she turned and smiled. “There you are, hun. Can you tidy up the living room a bit before your father gets home? I haven’t had a chance to yet and you know how he is.”

“Sure, I got it.” They dropped their backpack next to the kitchen table and headed back into the living room. There wasn’t much to clean up. Their mother kept the house tidy, cleaning every day as if it were a religion she devoutly practiced. But there were a few items astray—yesterday’s newspaper, a dirty beer glass from last night on the side table, and a pair of crusty boots left next to the fireplace. Alma knew who left everything out, of course, but it was pointless to complain. Their father could do what he wanted without consequence.

Alma and their mother weren’t so lucky.

It only took a few minutes to pick up the living room and tidy up around their father’s lazyboy recliner, setting out the TV remotes on the end table and fluffing up the pillows. Their father liked things just right. If Alma forgot something and their father was in a foul mood, well… Alma didn’t like to think about that much. It was better to just make sure it was done right the first time—easier to keep the peace.

Hurrying back into the kitchen, Alma set the dirty glass on the counter and recycled the paper just as the familiar creak of the front door opening sent a cold shiver down their back. He was home.

Alma counted each heavy footstep, knowing just how many it would take to get from the front door to the kitchen—or the front door to their bedroom, for that matter. They kept their dark eyes downcast as they helped their mother set the table.

One footstep, two, then three. There was the sound of the entryway closet being opened and closed again before the footsteps continued, heavier this time. He hadn’t taken off his work boots, Alma realized, tracking mud and dirt into the house for their mother to clean. Of course, he didn’t care. It wasn’t _his_ job to clean the house. It was, as his father had said on multiple occasions, _womans_ _’ work_.

Just as he entered the kitchen, their mother set a plate in front of his spot at the table. Alma stood at the sink, filling a pitcher with cool water as their father dropped his wallet, phone, and hat on the counter, heedless of the work Alma and their mother were doing. They glanced to the side and saw the glint of their father’s police badge sitting amongst his belongings. Their back stiffened as he walked behind them, but the tension soon released as he moved to the refrigerator.

He cracked open a cold beer and kicked the door shut again. “What’s for dinner?” he asked, heading back to the table and sitting down in his chair. He took a long gulp of the beer before looking down at the plate and frowning. “Meatloaf?”

Alma sat down as well, placing the pitcher of water on the table and waiting for their mother to join them before dishing out food. Their father had other plans.

“You know I hate meatloaf. How many fucking times do I have to tell you to not cook it?” He poked at the meat, the angry crease between his eyes deepening.

“I’m sorry,” she replied, sitting down with a bowl of corn and potatoes. “It was all we had in the freezer.”

He pushed his plate away and grabbed his beer again. “You should’ve gone to the store, then. What the hell am I supposed to eat?”

Alma watched their mother, seeing the stress lines around her eyes crease deeper. They bit their tongue, knowing it was better to stay silent than provoke him more. “If you want something else, I could make you a turkey sandwich. I just thought it was better to eat what we had rather than overdraw the bank account again. Since tomorrow’s payday, I can go to the store first thing tomorrow and restock the fridge.”

Their father jabbed his fork into the slab of meatloaf, grumbling as he took a bite. “Fine. Make sure to get more beer for this weekend. I’m having the guys from the squad over for poker.”

“Of course,” she replied, finally dishing up food for herself and Alma. She took Alma’s plate first and gave them a hefty portion of each dish. “Here, honey. Make sure you eat it all. You look like you’re losing weight.”

“Okay, Mom.” Alma took the plate. They gave a quick look at their father, trying to judge his mood before speaking again. “…Would it be alright if I ate in my room? I have a lot of homework to do and I wanted to get it started right away.”

Their mother nodded, finally serving herself some food. “Sure, hun. That’s fine with me. Just remember to bring me your dishes when you’re done.”

Alma grabbed their plate, but before they could head to their room, their father spoke up—dark eyes scrutinizing their every move. “What homework are you working on that’s too important to eat dinner with your family?”

Swallowing down their nervousness, they answered. “I have a few readings to do for Literature class. There’s also my math assignment and a project I need to finish for art class.”

At the mention of art, their father scoffed. “Art’s not a real class. You can’t have homework for _that_.” He stabbed at his meatloaf again, a displeased look crawling over his face. Alma pressed their lips together and held their breath. They shouldn’t have mentioned art—the words had just slipped out. “Art is a useless class. I don’t even know why you’re taking it.”

Their mother poured herself a glass of water, her eyes flickering between Alma and her husband. “I think he’s talented with drawing all those pictures. It’s not bad as long as it’s a hobby, right?”

Their father continued, as if he hadn’t heard a word his wife said. “You’re wasting your time with art, son. You should focus more on the math and science courses. Those are where all the smart boys go. Get yourself a head for numbers and you’ll get into any engineering school in the country. Make yourself some real money.”

Alma swallowed down their discomfort with practiced ease. It hurt badly enough that their father hated art—the one thing that Alma had any confidence in. But both their parents were in the dark about Alma’s gender, not to mention their sexual orientation. If either of them found out the truth, especially their father, they didn’t know what would happen. “Yeah, you’re probably right,” they mumbled, eyes downcast.

“Damn straight I’m right.” He ate a mouthful of mashed potatoes before going in for more beer. He’d only been home ten minutes, but the can was near empty.

Taking a soft, quiet breath to steady their nerves, Alma tried again. “Would it be okay to work on math and literature homework, then?”

Their mother’s eyes shifted to their father as she took a small sip of water. He drank down another mouthful of beer, letting them wait in agony until he finished. “Yeah, fine. Can’t believe my son is such a nerd he wants to study through dinner.”

Alma stood, chest pinched tight with that familiar pain any time their father talked about them like that. “Thank you.” They took their plate and picked up their backpack before carefully walking to their bedroom.

As soon as they reached their room, they closed the door and leaned against the back of it. The cool glass of the full length mirror hanging from the door chilled their skin, but it helped to soothe the angry heat building in their face. Alma took a breath, trembling as they tried not to spill the food. “It’s okay. It’s okay,” they mumbled to themself, barely audible as they closed their eyes and tried to calm the furious beating of their heart.

When they could trust their legs enough to walk, they moved to the bed. After setting their quickly cooling dinner on the nightstand and dropping their bag on the floor, they leaned forward with their hands on their knees, breathing between their legs. It was an old technique they’d learned about that helped them calm down when their anxiety spiked. As the worst of the gut-wrenching feeling passed, Alma sat up, red in the face, with tears collecting in the corners of their eyes.

“I should’ve gone with Yuu tonight,” they whispered as they flopped back on the bed, looking up at the faded blue ceiling of their bedroom. Every night they hoped that their father would keep his temper in check, that he would stop speaking down to their mother and them. They felt numb listening to him talk, body cold and breath still. They felt like a ghost in this house, haunting their room like a specter of what their parents had wanted them to be.

But they weren’t anything like that and they never would be.

Alma wiped their eyes and sat up. There was no point in crying about it, not when they had dinner to eat and homework to finish. Tonight’s study session didn’t tackle everything, but it didn’t matter. They had all night to sit in their room and work. They certainly didn’t want to be out there with their parents.

As Alma started in on the meatloaf, they heard a buzzing sound from their backpack. Setting the plate down, they rifled through the bag until they found their phone. A quick look at the screen showed Kanda’s name. A small smile slipped over their lips.

Opening the message, they were surprised to see what he’d sent.

_Yuu 8:16PM_ — you okay?

Taking another breath, Alma typed up a reply. Their fingers flew over the onscreen keyboard with ease.

_Alma 8:16PM_ — Yeah I’m fine. Why?

_Yuu 8:17PM_ — you usually text me by now

_Yuu 8:17PM_ — thought something might be up

Alma wiped their still damp eyes before replying.

_Alma 8:18PM_ — Dad is just on his same bs. You know how he is.

_Yuu 8:18PM_ — and you sure you’re okay?

_Alma 8:18PM_ — Yeah

There was a long silence after Alma’s answer and they were certain Kanda would let the conversation drop there. But before they could go back to picking at their dinner again, another text popped up on the screen.

_Yuu 8:20PM_ — did you need to stay at my place tonight?

The message put a smile on Alma’s face.

_Alma 8:21PM_ — No, I’ll be okay here. He’s not in too bad a mood tonight.

_Alma 8:21PM_ — Besides, if I leave now, they’ll get suspicious.

_Yuu 8:22PM_ — okay

_Yuu 8:22PM_ — text me if you need anything

_Alma 8:23PM_ — I will.

As they set their phone down, Alma felt the pain in their chest lessen. It never ceased to amaze them how quickly Kanda could lift their mood with barely a word. Taking one more calming breath, then went back to their dinner. After all, that homework wasn’t going to do itself.


	11. In the Car

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Chapter Warnings**  
> NSFW - Sexual Situations  
> Mentions of physical parental abuse
> 
> I feel like I owe you all an apology. I had meant to get a chapter out sooner than FEBRUARY. But life has been kicking my ass really hard. Some days are a struggle to simply keep my house in order, let alone focus on creative endeavors. I'm still working on this fic as my TOP PRIORITY, so rest assured, more chapters are coming. But please bear with me as I work through this creative block I'm having. 
> 
> As always, comments are GREATLY appreciated and if you want to chat more informally with me, you can check out my tumblr (kitty-bandit).

_Ticking like a fuse  
_ _There’s an itch I gotta scratch  
_ _Ten minutes in the room  
_ _Get this monkey off my back_

_Dirty  
_ _Darren Hayes_

* * *

November nights were cold—temperatures dipping below freezing, snow and ice collecting on the frozen ground, and bitter winds whipping through the empty streets. He knew it would be colder come January, when the temperature would drop into the negatives even on the sunniest of days, but there was something about the cold November nights that always felt harsh after the hot days of summer. Of course, no matter how cold it got outside, Lavi was warm between his boyfriends. 

Snow collected on the windshield, melting rapidly from the heater on full blast. What windows that were not covered in half-melted snow were fogged up from the heat growing in the backseat. Lavi sat in the middle, Allen behind him and Tyki in front. They’d only met a handful of times since their first makeout together on the beach, but this time Lavi felt the heat between them growing, turning into something more than rough kisses and heavy petting. 

Tyki’s mouth tasted like the latte he’d had before they found a place to park on the back roads just outside of town. There was a hiking trail that followed a heavily wooded park, and considering the late hour, no one else would be around. There was always the possibility of a cop catching them while on patrol, but so far they’d been lucky. And Lavi thanked those lucky stars Tyki was such a talented kisser.

His heart thudded in his chest like the beat of a drum, tempo rising with each squeeze and caress of his skin. Lavi moaned into Tyki’s mouth as Allen’s thumb slid over his leaking slit, using just enough pressure to send a shiver of delight up his spine. They were all mostly clothed, the air too chilled even in the warm car to disrobe completely, but Lavi’s pants were undone and his cock out, stiff against the cool air.

Allen rutted up behind him as he stroked his shaft, hard in his pants and pressing into Lavi’s back with each shift of his hips. All the while, Tyki kept his mouth busy with heated kisses and the occasional tweak of hard nipples through his shirt. He still couldn’t believe he was there between them, filled to the brim with pleasure—that they wanted him, that they were as enamored with him as he was with them. It felt like a dream, and if it was, he never wanted to wake from it.

Lavi’s breath hitched in his throat as Allen touched a particularly sensitive spot. His guts twisted up like a snake coiling around its prey—tight, driven, _hungry_. “Oh, fuck,” he whispered against Tyki’s lips. He was close—so damned close.

Allen stroked him faster, rough hands working over his stiff flesh again and again. He dipped his head down to Lavi’s neck and sucked a bruise into his flesh. “C’mon, Lavi,” he mumbled into his ear. “Don’t hold it in. No one can hear you out here but us.”

A whine escaped Lavi’s throat as his hips jerked into Allen’s hand. Tyki chuckled and cupped a hand to Lavi’s cold cheek. “I do wanna see our little Red cut loose for once.” He leaned into Lavi’s shoulder opposite of Allen and nipped at his pierced ear. “Sing for us, Lavi.”

In that moment, Allen sucked harder on Lavi’s neck and squeezed his dick. Lavi moaned at the combined touch, head lolling back against Allen’s shoulder as he closed his good eye against the delightful pressure building up in his guts. “Aah, Allen,” he groaned out, panting between words. “Please—please, I’m so close. I—” Another moan burst from his lungs as Tyki joined in the teasing, hand on Lavi’s cock and stroking the slicked head over and over again with his thumb.

“Don’t stop, boy. He’s almost there,” Tyki mumbled, kissing up and down Lavi’s neck as he worked his hand.

“T-Tyki,” Lavi whined again, his entire body trembling—desperate for release. Each breath was torture, his limbs shaking like dry leaves in the wind as he inched closer and closer to the end. “I—I—”

“Lavi,” Allen whispered, fingers stroking him in tandem with Tyki’s. His breath ghosted over Lavi’s neck, chilling his skin and the bruised flesh Allen had left in his wake. He opened his eye, staring at the dark roof of Tyki’s car as Allen’s words washed over him. “Cum for us.”

Allen’s words were like magic, the key to his release from the hot, lewd tension crawling through his veins. He came harder than he ever had before, cum shooting up between him and Tyki as he spilled his seed. A moan erupted past his lips, loud and unbridled, as his hips spasmed against his boyfriends’ touches.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Lavi’s head cooled. Tyki and Allen released his spent member, fingers sticky with the viscous fluid. Before he could apologize for the mess, Tyki’s lips were on his again—kissing him hard and fast, tongue in his mouth. Lavi whined into it, body limp against Allen.

When Tyki pulled back, Lavi saw the pleased grin on his face. “That was hot, Red. _Really hot_.”

Still trying to catch his breath, Lavi stared at Tyki, eye half-lidded. “R-Really?”

“Yeah,” Allen agreed, kissing him on the neck, softer this time, as if to soothe the over-bitten skin. “You really got me worked up now.”

Humming softly at the gentle touches, Lavi sighed and looked down between himself and Tyki. He winced. “Sorry. I kinda made a mess…”

“You say that like it hasn’t happened before.” Reaching into the center console, Tyki grabbed a rag from it and wiped off his dirtied hand. When Lavi gave him a curious look, he just grinned back. “Don’t worry. We come prepared.” He wiped up the cum between them, sending another shot of pleasure through Lavi’s veins as the rag touched his oversensitive skin. When he finished, he wiped Allen’s hand.

Allen, still preoccupied with Lavi’s neck, let Tyki do all the work. “Mmm, thank you,” he mumbled between kisses and kitten licks.

Once they were mostly cleaned, Tyki leaned in closer, hands on Lavi’s thighs as he watched Allen lavish the redhead’s neck with attention. “Allen,” he mumbled, dark eyes glistening in the faint light from the car’s dashboard. “Are you gonna spend all night kissing Red’s neck or do you want to play with me?”

“I could,” Allen said, reluctantly pulling away to meet Tyki’s intense stare. “But where’s the fun if you don’t share?”

Tyki grinned, reaching out to brush a few wisps of hair from Allen’s face. “My thoughts exactly.”

Shifting his weight, Allen rested his hands on Lavi’s shoulders and pressed his nose against his messy hair. “Lavi, would you like to watch us?”

Lavi flushed, his cheeks and ears turning as bright as his hair. “W-Watch?”

“I like where your head is, boy,” Tyki added.

Allen kissed Lavi’s cheek, arms draping over his shoulders. “I mean, you gave us a good show yourself. We really appreciate it.”

Lavi’s stomach flipped when he realized what Allen spoke of. “Oh—that wasn’t, I mean…”

“It’ll be fun,” Allen assured him. “Maybe if you’re up for it, we can go again after.” He ran his hands over Lavi’s chest, fingers brushing over still perked nipples. Lavi couldn’t help the shiver that ran through his body at the touch.

He’d never been a voyeur before, but as Allen had shown him multiple times since they’d started dating, there was always a first time for everything. “O-Okay…” he mumbled, heart beating rapidly in his chest in anticipation. “I want to watch you—both of you.”

With an excited hum, Allen crawled over Lavi’s lap, switching places with him. Lavi slid back to the far side of the seat. Tyki’s car might have been luxurious, but it was still a tight fit for the three of them in the back, especially with how tall he and Tyki were. He wished they could spend their more intimate time together indoors, but it was nearly impossible. Between Lavi’s grandfather, Allen’s guardian, and Tyki’s family, there was no way to get alone time at one of their homes. At least Tyki’s car had heated seats.

Allen sat down on Tyki’s lap with ease, legs on either side of Tyki’s hips. His smaller frame made it easier to maneuver within the confines of the car. Tyki leaned back against the seat, hands on Allen’s hips as they settled against each other. “At the same time?” he asked as he undid his own pants before going for Tyki’s.

“I like that idea.” Tyki cupped his hands on either side of Allen’s face, thumbs brushing over his cheeks before threading through his silky locks and pushing his hair out of the way. Lavi could see the faint edges of Allen’s scarring in the dim light. Tyki spent extra care touching the scars, leaning in to kiss them. The subtle intimacy made Lavi smile.

As Allen pulled both their cocks from the tight confines of their pants, he wrapped a hand around both of them, bodies slid as close as possible to maximize their contact. With slow strokes, he pumped their dicks together. His back arched at the first stroke, an appreciative hum rumbling in his chest. “Been a while since we did it like this.”

“It has,” Tyki agreed, lips parted as his breath slowly grew heavier. It frustrated Lavi how easy it was for Tyki to keep control of himself, even in such compromising situations, but it was no less fun to watch as Allen pumped their dicks with quick flicks of his wrist. Tyki watched Allen for a long moment before pulling him in for a deep, long kiss.

Lavi couldn’t see as much as he wanted to in the dark—or with their bodies so close together. But the noises they made alone were worth it. He relaxed back against the door, one leg on the seat between them and the other planted on the floor as Tyki and Allen worked themselves up into a lather. It was impossible to not see how well they complimented each other, as if they could read the other’s mind—completely in sync.

Allen sped up the pace, hand jerking them off quicker than before. Moaning in response, Tyki broke off their kiss and rested his head back against the seat. His hips jerked upwards, bouncing Allen and causing them both to spit out another pleased groan. A cheeky grin spread over Allen’s face as he rubbed his fingers through the precum collecting against their slits.

“Mm, Tyki? Are you already gonna cum? What a quickdraw. Even Lavi lasted longer than you and I’ve barely teased you at all.”

“Smart ass,” Tyki growled out, grinning through the insult. He wrapped his hand around Allen’s and jerked them off together. “Keep it up and I’ll gag you.”

Allen laughed, grinding his hips against Tyki’s. “Promise?”

With his free hand, Tyki grabbed the back of Allen’s neck, dragging him in for another deep and hungry kiss. Allen whined into it, hips thrusting wildly against Tyki’s and his own combined touches. The scene was utterly shameful—and Lavi couldn’t take his eye off it.

He’d seen Allen’s cock by then, the handful of times they’d fooled around since the Halloween party, but Tyki… He hadn’t gotten this far with him, and _God_ , he was thick. Lavi flushed as he watched their dicks move together, breath already short as he imagined what it would feel like to be touching them himself. But he didn’t reach for them. No, he kept his hands pressed against the leather seats and ignored his budding erection as Tyki and Allen fucked into each other’s hands with abandon.

It was fun to imagine, though. Maneuvering in the car was difficult, but he wondered what it would be like to be with them both in an actual bed—with room to play around and do what they wanted without fear of getting caught. He watched Allen bounce up and down against Tyki’s thighs in a desperate bid for more friction, imagining what he would look like with Tyki’s cock up his ass instead of in his hand. Lavi swallowed, throat parched, and wondered what it would look like if _he_ did the same. He might have still been a virgin in that regard, but it didn’t dim the spark of curiosity in his chest. He wanted to try it—he wanted to try it with them both.

A cry spilled from Allen’s kiss-sore lips, yanking Lavi from his fantasy. “ _Nnn_ , Tyki— _fuck_. Faster—”

Tyki pumped his hand between them, taking over for Allen. A satisfied grin spread over his face. “I thought _I_ was the quickdraw?”

“Fucking—” Allen gasped, grabbing onto Tyki’s shoulder to keep steady. He grit his teeth as he kept going, so close to completion. “S-Shut up and—” He groaned this time, head resting against Tyki’s other shoulder as he struggled to catch his breath. “— _Fuck me._ ”

Allen came then, spilling white between them as if he hadn’t cum for years for how much there was. He bit Tyki’s shoulder as he rocked his hips into the orgasm, weak and desperate cries on his lips. Tyki didn’t last long after Allen’s rough treatment, cumming with a muted groan that he muffled in Allen’s tangled hair. Their cum stained their pants, their shirts, and Lavi swore he saw some hit the roof of the car.

Lavi was definitely hard again after that show.

Tyki laughed, his clean hand rubbing Allen’s hip as they slowly came back to their senses. “Fucked good enough, boy?”

“For now,” Allen mumbled, sitting up slowly. He pushed at his lower back and Lavi swore he heard something pop before he reached for the dirty rag left on the floor. “Ew. Look at the mess you made.” He wiped up the cum on his cock before trying to clean it from his clothes.

“It was a joint effort,” Tyki reminded him, lazily watching as Allen slowly mopped up their seed. His golden gaze turned to Lavi then, eyes soft and hazy. “Enjoy the show, Red?”

“I, uh—yeah,” he stuttered, shifting uncomfortably. The armrest on the door jabbed into his back as he shifted his hips, hoping his erection wasn’t too obvious.

If Tyki noticed, he said nothing.

Allen dropped the cumrag on Tyki’s chest before flopping himself in the middle of the seat, sighing as he tucked his cock back into his pants. “Now I’m tired. And hungry.”

Brushing his messed hair back from Allen’s face, Tyki hummed in acknowledgment. “You want the usual?”

He sighed and leaned against Tyki’s shoulder. “Yeah—I think McDonald’s is the only restaurant open right now, anyway.” Allen looked out the window, eyebrows raising as he caught sight of the snow collecting even faster on the car hood. “But it’s snowing pretty hard. We should get home.”

“Dinner first,” Tyki said, opening the door next to him and returning to the driver’s seat. The burst of cold air sent a chill through Lavi’s limbs and he grabbed his coat off the floor to pull it back on.

Allen turned to him then, an apologetic look on his face. “Sorry. It’s kinda early to be calling it a night.”

Shaking his head, Lavi gave him a reassuring smile. “It’s midnight. I think I’ll live.”

“Yeah, but I promised you a long night of fun. We copped out early ‘cause of the weather.” At that moment, his stomach growled—loud enough for Tyki to hear in the front seat and over the blast from the heater. Allen flushed. “And my stomach, I guess.”

Lavi chuckled, shaking his head. “Don’t worry about it. I don’t mind.” He looked out the side window, feeling the flush growing on his face again. “I had fun.”

“Good.” Allen slid closer, resting a hand against Lavi’s thigh. He felt the warmth through the fabric of his pants. “I’ll make sure next time is even better.”

Lavi fought to keep his smile from spreading over his whole face. “I like the sound of that.”

* * *

“Are you sure it’s okay to stay the weekend?”

Kanda sighed. “Would you stop asking already?” He didn’t mean for his words to come out so exasperated, but Alma had asked him the same question ten times since they’d left school. How many times was he supposed to answer the same question? 

“Sorry,” Alma mumbled, going back to their sketchpad. 

The defeated response left a bad taste in Kanda’s mouth, like biting into a sour grape. He turned away from his computer, hitting pause on his game, and looked over at Alma. They had a forlorn look in their eyes and it made his heart sink in his chest. He immediately regretted snapping at them like he did. 

“Hey,” he began, getting up off the old office chair and stretching his legs. “You hungry? I think there’s some leftovers in the freezer.” 

Alma perked at the question, smiling over at Kanda. “Yeah! I’m kinda starving, actually.” They closed their sketchbook and ambled off the bed. 

“You should’ve said something earlier. I would’ve gotten you food.” 

“I didn’t want to bother you while you were playing your game.” 

Kanda flung an arm over Alma’s shoulder as they walked down to the kitchen. “Tch. Who cares. It’s not important.” He noticed Alma wince as his hand rested on their right shoulder, stiffening under the touch, and that subtle discomfort had him clenching his teeth.

Swallowing down his initial surge of anger, he gently pulled Alma in closer as they slowly meandered downstairs. “Are you feeling any better?”

Alma ducked their head, avoiding Kanda’s worried gaze. “I’m fine,” they mumbled, keeping their voice low in case Tiedoll overheard them. “It barely hurts anymore.”

“If I see him again, I’ll break his nose.” It wasn’t an idle threat—Kanda had seen the results of their father’s abuse for years and he was goddamn sick of it. The bruise on Alma’s shoulder was only one of many he’d had since as long as Kanda could remember. He couldn’t count the number of times his partner came over with bruises and abrasions, tears in their eyes as they asked him for a safe place to sleep for the night. It made his blood boil just thinking about it.

“Yuu, please,” Alma whispered, grabbing his hand and squeezing his fingers. “I don’t want to talk about it right now. Can we just get some dinner?”

Biting back the growing rage in his chest, he nodded. “Yeah, fine. I’ll stop.” He let go of Alma’s shoulder as they headed down the stairs and into the kitchen. The TV was on in the living room, soft sounds of some network sitcom filling the otherwise quiet house. As he passed the room, he saw Tiedoll passed out in his ancient recliner, dead to the world. Good—they wouldn’t have to worry about him eavesdropping in on their conversation.

Alma sat down at the kitchen table near the window, their dark eyes lighting up as they looked outside. It was already dark, but the streetlights illuminated the sidewalks well enough to see. “Look, Yuu! It’s snowing!”

Kanda went straight to the refrigerator and checked its contents. “Hn. Good thing we don’t have to go anywhere tomorrow, then.”

Rolling their eyes, Alma sighed. “I don’t care about that. I just think it’s pretty.”

Kanda looked over the open refrigerator door, glancing at Alma as they watched the snow collect against the window pane. He still couldn’t understand why anyone would want to hurt someone as beautiful and honest as Alma. They had to be blind to miss it.

Knowing he’d get in a foul mood if he continued to dwell on those thoughts, he grabbed the leftover Chinese boxes. “Which do you want? Beef lo mein or happy family?”

Alma perked up at the question and smiled. “Beef lo mein, of course.”

He moved to the microwave, shoving the containers in and turning it on. The microwave hummed as he waited next to it, leaning against the counter. While the food cooked, Alma slipped out of their chair and headed to the refrigerator, rummaging around the shelves on the door. Kanda sighed again.

“Are you looking for the mayo?” he asked, his tone accusatory.

“Maaaybe,” Alma teased, smiling as they continued to rifle through the refrigerator. When they found what they were looking for, they made a triumphant noise. Kanda saw the small jar of mayonnaise tucked against their chest as they practically skipped back to the table.

“Ugh. If you’re going to put that on your food, please eat facing away from me.”

Alma stuck their tongue out as they uncapped the jar. “Don’t be a baby. It’s not like _you_ have to eat it.”

“Yeah, but it’s gross. Why do you put mayo on everything?”

Alma turned their nose up at Kanda. “Because I prefer to enjoy life—not deny myself joy.”

“Whatever. It’s still weird.”

“Hmph,” Alma opened the jar and gave Kanda a smug grin over the lid. “You’re just jealous I have such good taste.”

Rather than continue their playful bickering, Kanda shook his head and went back to watching the timer on the microwave count down. It beeped and Kanda snatched the steaming boxes from within. “C’mon,” he said, grabbing a pair of forks from the drawer. “Let’s eat upstairs.”

“Okay!” Alma recapped the small jar of mayonnaise and followed Kanda back upstairs, the savory smell of noodles and beef trailing after them. 

They settled back into the bedroom, Kanda sitting in his desk chair and Alma camping out on the bed. He avoided watching Alma add mayonnaise to their food, his stomach curdling at the thought, and focused instead on his own meal. The mix of chicken, beef, and shrimp looked delicious nestled on the bed of rice and vegetables. He stabbed his fork in the box and shoved the first bite into his mouth, burning his tongue for the effort and cursing under his breath after he swallowed. 

Alma chuckled, stirring their noodles with their fork as the steam billowed out. “You ate it too fast again, didn’t you?” 

“Shut up,” Kanda replied, an embarrassed flush smearing over his face. He jabbed his fork into the box again, but didn’t press his luck a second time. 

Alma’s smile grew and they kicked out their leg to nudge Kanda’s. “Don’t worry. I think it’s cute.”

“Tch. You think everything is cute.” 

“Not true. I really don’t like spiders. They’re uncute.” 

“Uncute isn’t a word.”

“You sound like Lena now,” Alma teased, still stirring their noodles to cool them. 

“Shoot me if that ever happens.” 

Shaking their head, Alma smiled and looked down at their food. It was quiet for a moment, but the silence between them felt comforting, pleasant. Kanda appreciated it—the silence. He wasn’t much of a talker and Alma, who seemed to never stop talking, didn’t mind at all. For all their differences, they seemed to work so well together. Kanda couldn’t imagine a life without Alma. 

“Yuu?” Alma’s timid voice cut through his thoughts and he looked up to meet their questioning gaze. “I brought over some more sketchbooks to, uh... hide from my dad. Is that okay? He went on another tirade about how art is pointless and I didn’t want him to trash my stuff again—”

“It’s fine,” Kanda said, cutting Alma off before they rambled too long. “I told you already. You can leave anything you want here. I’ll keep it safe.”

The worried lines on Alma’s face softened and they smiled at him. “Thanks, Yuu.” 

The softness in Alma’s reply struck a chord in Kanda’s chest, something deep and intimate that he rarely gave a voice to. He kept his emotions hidden away, locked up and safe, but Alma never failed to work their way inside. They were the only one who held the key to his heart and though Kanda hated that weakness, he could never take the key back. 

Giving into the warm feeling making a home in his chest, he set aside his dinner and joined Alma on the bed. The mattress dipped down and creaked with their combined weight and Alma blinked, confused as Kanda loosely wrapped an arm around their waist. 

He hooked his thumb into the loop on Alma’s jeans, tilting his head towards them, but not quite making eye contact. “It’s almost over,” he began, squeezing them a little tighter. “We just gotta make it until graduation, then we’re free.”

Alma rested the box against their lap, falling easily into Kanda’s half embrace. “I know,” they replied, voice growing softer yet. They tucked their head under Kanda’s chin, pulling closer. “I already came this far. Six more months is nothing.”

“Yeah.” Kanda closed his eyes, taking a long, deep breath as he relaxed against his partner. Things had been harder than usual for Alma at home. As much as their situation wore on Kanda, he knew it was a thousand times worse for Alma. They didn’t deserve to be treated like trash—no one did. 

“What do you wanna do after graduation?” he asked, slowly opening his eyes and starting out across the room. 

Alma hummed, shifting closer to Kanda as they pondered on the question. “Go to college, I suppose.” 

“Art college?”

Alma sighed. Kanda felt their mood dropping. “I wish. My dad would never let me go.”

Kanda’s lips twitched into a frown. He pulled away just far enough to look down into Alma’s forlorn face. “Who cares what he wants. It’s your decision.” 

“Yeah, but—”

“Forget him, Alma. He hasn’t earned the right to give the slightest input into your future. You’ll be eighteen in less than a month. He can’t tell you what to do anymore.” 

Meeting their gaze, Alma pressed their lips together, like they were scared to voice their opinion. But slowly, the excitement grew, and Kanda saw the spark in their eyes again. “I want to study art. I want to go to art school.” 

Smiling, Kanda nodded. “I want you to do that, too.”

“What about you, Yuu? What do you want?”

Kanda knew his answer without having to think, but turned his face away from Alma’s questioning gaze. He didn’t want to admit it, not out loud, not even if it was the most obvious answer. “I want to get an apartment with you,” he began, letting his thoughts wander over a scenario he’d imagined many times in his head before. “It’ll have a lot of windows. And space for you to draw.”

“I like that,” Alma said, pulling themself closer. “We can get potted plants and line them along the windows. Maybe we can even get a dog!” 

Kanda couldn’t hide the smile on his face at Alma’s little additions. “Maybe. A small one.” He picked at a loose thread on the blanket next to his hip. “We can make food together, too. Maybe ramen.”

“And chocolate chip cookies?”

“Yeah.”

“I really like that,” Alma said as they rested their head against Kanda’s shoulder again. They closed their eyes and relaxed against his warm embrace. “I think it sounds perfect.” 

In truth, it didn’t matter where they were after graduation or what they did. Kanda knew that as long as he was with Alma—as long as they were together—everything would work out. All he ever needed was Alma. “Me, too.” 

* * *

Lenalee desperately wished she had a latte in her hand right then, but even sneaking a stale coffee from the teacher’s lounge would’ve been better than nothing. She rubbed her temple with one hand while carrying a pile of books, file folders, and notebooks in the other. If she didn’t get rid of her migraine soon, it would make the rest of the afternoon unbearable—especially with Link talking her ear off as they headed to their student council session.

“Ms. Lee, are you sure you can carry those? You look like you’re having trouble.”

“I’ve got it—thank you, Link.” She tried to minimize the curtness in her tone, but Howard Link tested the boundaries of her politeness daily. There was only so much a girl could do. “Do you have the list of discussion topics for today’s meeting?”

Link shuffled through the papers in his arms until he found the correct one. “Today’s meeting agenda includes…” He adjusted his glasses before continuing. “The mid-month bakesale to support the end of year trip to New York City for the band, announcements and fliers for Thanksgiving break, midterms testing schedule, and—if we have time—the talent show.”

“Wonderful,” Lenalee replied, the word devoid of its meaning with how dull and lifeless her tone was. She could feel the pain radiating in her skull and numbly wondered if she had any aspirin in her backpack.

“If you want, President Lee, I could take over for today’s session for you. You look a bit ill.”

“I’m fine, Link. It’s just a headache.” Were it any other council member, she would’ve taken them up on the offer. But the last time Link ran a council meeting while she’d been out with the flu, he’d nearly ruined prom by choosing ‘Civil War’ as the theme. The rest of the council nearly quit on the spot, but Lenalee had managed to fix the blunder without too much backlash. She’d be damned if she would let another mess like that happen over a simple migraine.

As she thought that, another stab of pain shot through her skull, burrowing behind her right eye. She winced and tried to relax her tense jaw. This would be a long meeting.

They turned the corner, nearly to the meeting room, when Lenalee heard a familiar laugh. She looked up and spotted Lavi and Allen talking near the lockers. She took a breath to call out to him, but stopped. Something felt…off.

Allen leaned in too close to Lavi, closer than she’d seen him be with anyone else. Their hushed conversation was punctuated with laughs and soft glances—a subtle intimacy that was not lost on her.

Lavi had barely talked to her since the Halloween party two weeks ago. He’d only showed up to one after school study session since their fight, making up one excuse after another to skip. At first she’d thought nothing of it, but now… Now she wondered if he’d been avoiding her on purpose, still upset about what she’d said to him and Allen—

And if Allen had a hand in it.

When she was closer, she put on a smile, fake as could be, and waved down Lavi. He caught her eye, stiffened for a brief second, then waved back. Yeah, he was definitely not pleased to see her.

“Lavi, I haven’t seen you in a while,” she said, cupping her pile of books and folders close to her chest while Link followed after her like a pet dog. “You missed our last study sessions.”

Lavi looked away, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Ah, yeah. Sorry about that. I’ve just been really busy lately after school. Haven’t really had time to go.”

Her dark eyes flickered to Allen, who looked like he couldn’t care less about her questioning. Squashing down her frustration, she kept that smile glued to her face, head tilted slightly to the side as she addressed Lavi. “We’re meeting after classes tonight. Maybe you and Allen want to join us?”

She saw Lavi give Allen a quick look, though she couldn’t quite read it. He smiled at her and it felt like looking in a mirror for how fake he was to her in return. “Yeah, we’ll try to make it. We gotta get to class right now, though. See ya’ later!” Before she could ask anymore questions, they disappeared down the hall.

Lenalee sighed, her shoulders slumped.

Link turned to watch as well, unimpressed with the interaction. “You realize they’re not going to show up, right?”

“Yes,” Lenalee answered, exasperation heavy in her voice. “I’m aware.”

“Hm.” Link continued walking towards the classroom where they were holding the student council meeting. “Is that your friend who transferred here from London? The smart one?”

The question caught her attention and she followed after him, a crease between her eyebrows. “Yes. Why?”

“Well…” Link began, giving her a cool gaze as they walked together. “He might be brilliant, but he won’t get anywhere hanging out with Allen Walker. That kid will be kicked out of school before the end of the semester—without a doubt.”

After Link slipped into the classroom, uncaring for Lavi’s fate, Lenalee gave one last look down the hallway. Maybe he was right. It might have been too late to straighten out Allen, but it wasn’t too late for Lavi. She would have to do something about it—and fast.

* * *

“You know,” Allen began, balancing his mechanical pencil on the tip of his nose. “If you _actually_ wanted to study instead of makeout, we could’ve gone to your friend’s stupid study group.”

Sighing, Lavi set down his history textbook and turned to Allen. They were both sitting on his bed, backs against the wall and legs hanging off the side. So far, his grandfather hadn’t picked up on his actual relationship with Allen. It was easy to sneak a makeout session or a handjob in his room without the old man catching on. All they had to do was keep the volume down and Gramps would leave them alone all night. He only wished he could sneak Tyki in as well, but there were limits to what his grandfather would tolerate and he doubted letting a twenty-something year old man stay with him overnight would go over well.

The only problem was that spending all his free time in various degrees of undress with Allen—and Tyki, when they could manage it—had severely impacted his studies. While he did have an eidetic memory, it didn’t do him any good if he missed every class and never read the materials. “Sorry. I know you’re bored. I just need to get through this one chapter. There’s a test tomorrow in my Middle Eastern History class and—”

“I’m joking, Lavi,” Allen said, letting the pencil drop into his lap and giving him that trademark mischievous grin. “But seriously. We could’ve gone. I don’t care if you wanna study. Besides, don’t you wanna see your friends?”

Lavi closed his textbook, an unpleasant feeling crawling into his stomach. “I know—I do. It’s just… Ugh.” He tossed the book on the bed next to him, letting out another exasperated sigh. He scrubbed his face with both hands before looking back to Allen, who was unaffected by his dramatics. “It’s Lena.”

“Are you still avoiding her? I thought you said it was fine now?”

“It is—kinda. I mean, mostly.” He knocked his head back against the wall, a soft thud echoing in the room. “She’s just… she’s still being weird about you. And I can tell she doesn’t… _appreciate_ that I’m spending so much time with you.”

“Ah,” Allen replied, picking at his nails. “So, I’m still the problem.”

Lavi frowned at Allen’s blasé phrasing. “It’s _her_ problem. Not you.” He leaned in closer, pressing his face into Allen’s silky hair. “I want to spend time with you.”

“As much as I appreciate the sentiment,” he began, sliding his hand over the side of Lavi’s face and pulling him closer, “You probably should talk to her. And Kanda and Alma as well.”

“Allen,” Lavi whined, his voice growing nasally as he rubbed his face against his head. “Can’t I just sit here with you and not worry about it?”

Allen chuckled. “Sure, but avoiding your problems doesn’t actually solve them.”

Lavi sighed, pulling away. “Thanks a lot, Dr. Phil.”

Knocking his shoulder into Lavi’s, Allen let out a disgusted noise. “Gross. Don’t call me that.”

“I will if you stop trying to be my psychiatrist.”

Allen stuck out his tongue, but conceded. “Okay, fine. But you still need to talk to your friends. It’s not good to keep secrets. Gives you indigestion.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” He leaned heavier against Allen’s side, hand sliding along his leg as he moved in closer. “Now I’m not really in the mood to study.”

Chuckling, Allen threaded his fingers with Lavi’s, lazily playing with his hand. “Shocker.”

Lavi sighed softly, wistfully, as Allen played with his hands. The gentle touches sent a sweet, warm feeling low in his stomach. His lips twitched into a small smile and he tilted his head towards Allen’s neck. “Since I gave up on studying, do you wanna...?”

Allen snickered, fingers tightening around Lavi’s hand. “Do you even need to ask?” Before Lavi could answer, Allen pounced—pushing him down against the bed and straddling his hips.

Lavi let out a surprised squeak, the noise muffled by Allen’s hungry lips on his own. His textbook dug into his back, but the discomfort was worth it to feel his boyfriend squirm against his hip, already edging them both into mutual arousal. He still hadn’t gotten used to Allen’s rough and fast pace. It might have been because they rarely had a chance to take their time together, instead finding whatever private space they could to fool around when no one was looking, but Lavi couldn’t complain. He liked Allen touching him, however he could, especially when his kisses stole his breath away. 

With their legs tangled together, Allen slid his lips away from Lavi’s and moved to his neck, nipping and sucking against his skin. Leaving hickies in his wake, Lavi moaned and dug his fingers into the back of Allen’s loose shirt. “Mmm, it’s a good thing I wear scarves all the time.” He gasped as Allen bit at his ear, tugging on the sensitive flesh. Lavi felt his stomach drop low, hot tension already simmering under the surface. “No one will see all the marks you leave on me.”

“Mmm,” Allen mumbled, sucking harder against his neck before pulling away with a wet smack of lips, spit, and flesh. “Maybe I want them to see.” He smoothed his hand up Lavi’s shirt, fingers teasing along his stomach and sides, then pinching at his nipple with a hard tweak. 

“Ah!” Lavi jerked forward, rolling them both over until he had Allen pinned down against the bed, hands around his wrists. He gave Allen an unamused glare. “Dammit, Al. Go easy on me—we have to be quiet. Gramps is still awake and if he hears us—”

He interrupted Lavi, a wide grin plastered on his face. “What are you gonna do? Punish me?”

Lavi swallowed around the nervous lump suddenly stuck in his throat. Staring down at Allen’s haughty look, he felt his face flush with embarrassment and arousal. It was so frustrating how quickly Allen pulled the rug out from under him, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but enjoy it—some part deep inside him wanting Allen to embarrass him, to push things further, to say and do those things that made Lavi want to let loose and, and—

Without replying, Lavi kissed Allen again, shoving his tongue into his mouth with a force he’d never used before. Allen whimpered, hands clenching and unclenching under Lavi’s firm grip, useless as he lay pinned to the bed. His hips jerked upwards, rocking against Lavi’s in a bid for more friction. For once, Lavi knew he had the upper hand. 

They still hadn’t gone all the way—not yet. The furthest he’d gotten were a few handjobs and that one spectacular blowjob Allen had given him in the supply closet at school. Not that he was complaining. Every time he got together with his boyfriends, he felt like he’d won the lottery or pressed the button on the vending machine and ended up with two candy bars instead of one. They made him feel happy. Important. _Wanted_. It’d been a while since he’d felt that way with anyone, even his friends.

As he kissed Allen like he’d never kissed another person before, he felt the heavy press of his cock against Lavi’s own. They moaned in tandem, Allen’s hips grinding up against Lavi’s with a desperate, hungry need. Allen usually seemed so collected when they’d been intimate before. Seeing the vulnerable side of him made Lavi want to please him all the more.

Letting go of one of Allen’s wrists, he slid his hand down the length of his body and into his loose jeans. As his fingers found purchase around Allen’s stiff length, he squeezed gently. Allen moaned into his mouth and rocked his hips into the touch, grinning against Lavi’s mouth.

“Lavi,” he began, grabbing the redhead’s shoulder with his freed hand. His lips brushed against Lavi’s with each word. “If this is my punishment, I think you’re going easy on me.”

Exhaling against Allen’s shoulder, he worked his hand over Allen, the building frustration with his own arousal buzzing in the back of his mind. “Maybe you’re right,” he mumbled. A sudden desire overcame him, hot and tight in his guts, and slowly he moved down.

Allen let out a soft noise of surprise as Lavi traveled south, pushing up Allen’s shirt and kissing over his soft stomach. He arched his back into Lavi’s touch, a gasp passing over his lips as his pants and underwear were pulled down his thighs. “Lavi?” he asked, curiously looking down at him. His cheeks were flushed and hair already a mess from squirming against the bed.

Smoothing his fingers over Allen’s leaking cock, Lavi’s heart thumped in his chest like a caged bird. He crawled down between Allen’s legs, breath heavy and mouth wet with anticipation. “I wanted to try something,” he whispered, his eye focused on the hard rod in his hand.

Allen propped himself up on his elbows to watch Lavi, a smirk playing on chapped lips. “You sure? You know you don’t have to.”

“I want to,” Lavi assured him, still staring down at his cock as if it held some secret.

With a chuckle, Allen brushed a hand through Lavi’s tangled hair. “Okay. But don’t go crazy. It’s your first time sucking cock. Ease into it.”

Lavi sighed. “Are you seriously giving me coaching advice right now?”

“Hey, I sucked a lot of dicks to get to where I am today. Don’t you want to study with the master?”

“Don’t make me gag you.”

“Promises, promises,” Allen teased, leaning back on the bed. He continued to watch Lavi, the smirk still plastered on his face.

Feeling pressure to perform, Lavi took a breath to steady his wavering nerves and ran his thumb over the tip of Allen’s wet cock. Allen shivered, eyes closing against the intimate touch as he let out the softest whine Lavi had ever heard. With a flash of bravery, he dipped his head and took Allen into his mouth.

As the precum hit his tongue, Lavi was surprised at how salty it tasted. His lips stretched around Allen’s girth, not uncomfortably, and slowly slid down. His cock tasted much like any other part of Allen—warm, a bit salty. There was a heady smell that filled his nose the more he took Allen into his mouth, though Lavi found it more pleasant than not.

Allen’s cock twitched in his mouth, still oozing precum. As his saliva coated the hard flesh, Lavi felt his lips move easier over it. Breathing through his nose, he mimicked what Allen had done for him that afternoon in the supply closet as best he could. He moved his mouth downward, closing in on the base, when he felt the tip press up against the back of his throat. A surge of panic shot through his chest and he pulled away, Allen’s cock dropping from between his lips as he took a deep breath.

“I told you,” Allen said, his voice breathy and stilted from the teasing. He reached out and pet Lavi’s hair, his fingers curling around his chin. “If you’re gonna do it, go easy. We’re not in a hurry.”

Lavi swallowed as he slowly calmed his fluttering pulse. “Yeah—yeah, I know.” He’d been so nervous to start, but even with his initial flub, Allen was patient and receptive. He didn’t want to give up—not when he had only just begun.

With renewed confidence, he went down on Allen again, taking him in easier than the first time. He knew how deep he could go without triggering his gag reflex and the longer he practiced, the better he got. At least Allen seemed to enjoy his explorations, if his muffled mewls and moans were any indication. Lavi moved his tongue along the underside of Allen’s dick, earning himself another whine. If he wasn’t careful, his grandfather would hear them.

But as Allen had said the first time they fooled around in his house, that was part of the excitement, right?

Humming with renewed energy, he worked his mouth over Allen’s member, feeling his own erection pressing up against his stomach and straining in his pants. He hadn’t realized sucking a dick was so arousing in itself. The more he pleased Allen, the hornier he became. He didn’t doubt that if he shoved his own hand down his pants, he’d cum in a minute flat. But as much as he liked the idea, he couldn’t afford to split his focus, not when Allen’s breathy moans were growing shorter. He doubted his boyfriend would last much longer—and he wanted to do this right.

“Lavi,” Allen whispered, his hands clenching in the bedding beneath them. “Keep going. I-I’m almost there.”

The encouraging words pushed him to continue. Lavi picked up the pace, working his mouth over Allen faster. He felt the involuntary jerks of Allen’s hips against him, pushing himself deeper into Lavi’s throat and he didn’t stop, even through the slight discomfort. With tears prickling at the corner of his eye, Lavi sucked Allen harder, deeper, silently begging him to cum with each push and pull of his lips.

“L-Lavi,” Allen stuttered out, voice cracking. “I-I’m gonna—” Before he could finish his sentence, he came with a flash of heat and viscous white down Lavi’s throat.

And Lavi, like the virgin he was, choked on it.

He pulled off Allen’s dick after he’d cum, coughing and wincing as he tried to clear his throat. “Oh, god—I’m dying.”

Allen couldn't help but laugh, draping an arm over his eyes as Lavi coughed and spit and struggled to breathe. “Oh, my God. I told you to go easy.”

Lavi coughed too hard to properly argue back at Allen, shaking his head and trying desperately to stifle it. “I think it—” He coughed again, covering his mouth and curling over himself. “—It went down my lungs…”

The admission left Allen chuckling harder than before, curling up on his side and holding his stomach to keep from shaking. “I can’t believe you, Lavi. I seriously can’t. Who inhales cum? Who does that?” He laughed harder that time, the bed rocking under him as he struggled to regain his composure.

Still coughing, Lavi glared at Allen the best he could between fits. “Stop—” _cough, cough_ “Laughing. It’s not—” _cough_ “Funny.”

“Oh, it’s funny. It’s definitely funny.”

Shoulders shaking from barely restrained coughs, Lavi finally felt his throat and lungs begin to clear. He swallowed around the soreness, trying not to think about the weird, warm feeling in his stomach. How much cum had he actually swallowed? “If you’re gonna be a jerk about it, I’m never doing it again.”

As Allen’s laughter teetered out, he sat up, stuffing himself back into his pants. Lavi saw the amused look on his face and was seconds from telling him off again, when he lurched forward and kissed Lavi. Taken by surprise, Lavi gasped, giving Allen the opportunity to slip him the tongue. And as quickly as Lavi’s anger had risen, it dissipated. After a long moment, Allen pulled away, smiling at him.

“If you never try again, how will you get better? Practice makes perfect, after all.”

Rolling his good eye, Lavi shook his head. “I don’t wanna do it if you’re gonna laugh at me, though.”

“Sorry.” Allen ran his hand through Lavi’s hair, fingers trailing over his scalp and neck with a caring touch. “I shouldn’t have laughed. I didn’t mean to make you feel bad. But you gotta admit, it was pretty funny.”

Lavi chewed on his lower lip, not meeting Allen’s imploring gaze. “ _I_ didn’t think it was funny.”

“You will tomorrow after you’ve coughed up the last of my cum.” When Lavi made a face, Allen tried a different tactic. “How about I make it up to you?”

Sighing, Lavi tilted his head into Allen’s hand, already warming to the touch. “I’m listening.”

Allen reached down, slowly working Lavi’s pants open. His coughing fit had dulled his boner a bit, but with Allen’s exploratory touch, he felt himself regaining the starch in his collar, so to speak. “How about I teach you some useful dick sucking techniques to make it easier?” Allen’s smile grew wider, more mischievous. “A little oral practice?”

Lavi’s cock slipped out of his pants and underwear, Allen palming him back to full arousal. “Y-Yeah. Okay. I wouldn’t mind that…”

“Let’s begin, then.” Allen pushed him back against the bed, straddling his thighs. “Fellatio lesson one—don’t choke on a dick.”

This time, Lavi couldn’t stop the quick chuckle that spilled past his lips. “You’re still teasing me.”

“That’s lesson three. Don’t skip ahead, Lavi, or it’ll be my turn to punish you.”

Without missing a beat, Lavi snapped back a reply of, “Is that a promise?”

Allen grinned wider. “Now you’re learning.”


End file.
